Critical Hours
by ChrissyParkerCullen
Summary: Edward and Bella prepare for their upcoming nuptials and come to terms with the aftermath of the events in Eclipse. Will it go smoothly? Set after Eclipse. All original storylines and pairings apply. Character-driven plot. Enjoy!
1. Welcome Home

**This is my very first story, and I am new to the world of FanFiction so be kind, please!**

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "First Day Of My Life" - Bright Eyes

* * *

I directed the faucet head over the encrusted pan and watched as the hot water formed suds with the dish detergent. I turned my gaze to the clock above the stove.

Seven thirty. Not even close.

I sighed, frustrated, and attacked the pot with a vengeance.

_This is the last time I let Charlie cook_, I thought as I scrubbed the burnt remainders of what was supposed to be dinner out of the bottom. He was on the patrolling nightshift tonight, so I was left to clean up the aftermath. My eyes flickered towards the clock again.

Seven thirty-two.

I scoured the pot harder now and felt my fingers begin to ache. I stopped scrubbing to rinse and examine my progress. My eyebrows pulled together as I realized I hadn't even made a dent. I sighed again, more heavily this time, and listened to the water wash smoothly into the sink. I wanted to peek at the clock, but I knew what it would tell me. I grabbed the sponge and continued my battle for cleanliness against the stubborn stewpot.

_I need to get a hobby._

I threw the sponge into the sink and rocked back on my heels. Closing my eyes, I tried to comfort myself. Did he really have to wait until nine o'clock to come back?

_Yes, _I told myself, _he needs to eat, too_.

I was determined not to make him feel bad about leaving me for such an important reason… I had done enough damage after graduation. I had tried to stop Edward from going to the clearing. I had insisted on keeping him with me, and he ended up in harm's way regardless. My selfishness had complicated everyone's lives, and I was severely ashamed… I had remained friends with Jacob long after I'd known his feelings for me, broken his heart, and asked Edward to comfort me afterward. I was the monster in Forks now, and I had vowed not to hurt anyone else with my greedy ways.

Which made the upcoming nuptials even harder to swallow… How was I going to explain to Charlie? What was I going to say to Renee? Or, more importantly, what would _they _say to me? They would be angry, and once again I would be the cause of hurt feelings.

I felt my body stiffen with stress, and my selfish thoughts returned. I needed Edward here with me. I had been carrying this burden for weeks, and I wanted his reassurance.

I jerked out of my trance and reluctantly turned to the clock.

Seven thirty-nine. _Damn_.

I groaned in resignation and laid my forehead against the edge of the damp sink. The water seemed to run for hours as I rested there, vaguely aware of the endless gallons I was wasting. Something icy touched my waist, and I spun around, whacking my face on the faucet in the process. My vision became unusually fuzzy as a granite hand reached up to examine my eye. I wobbled on my feet and felt the other hand catch my waist, steadying me. Even through blurred vision, I was stunned by his beauty.

I grinned groggily and sang his name. "I am," I swayed dangerously, and Edward tightened his grip on my waist, "so glad you're back."

He smiled crookedly at me and swept me into his arms.

"Me too," he said softly as he backed onto the sofa. I tried to smile even wider, but when the grin met my eyes, I cringed.

"It's turning black already," Edward said with worry flashing in his golden eyes. He pressed his cool lips ever so lightly above my cheekbone. The relief from his icy touch was instantaneous, and I closed my eyes in contentment. He chuckled softly and pulled away, carefully leaning me back onto the sofa.

"You're leaving again?" I sat bolt upright when his hands left me, regretting it instantly as the room around me spun.

"Shh, Bella. I'm just going to get an _actual _ice pack to keep the swelling down." A wide grin spread across his face. "We don't want Charlie to think I'm abusive."

I attempted a laugh, but quickly realized that might actually be in the realm of possibilities. Edward read my concern faster than I could express it.

"Don't be silly, Bella. Charlie isn't fond of me, but he doesn't doubt your safety."

"Good."

I settled back on the sofa while Edward moved, lightning fast, to the kitchen to retrieve an ice pack. He was back before my head touched the armrest. He wrapped the pack in a kitchen towel and held it very gently to my eye.

"Thank you."

He smiled. "You're welcome."

"So… welcome home!" I smiled meekly.

"I know you miss me when I leave, but you don't have to be quite so enthusiastic upon my return," he smiled my favorite crooked smile again and kissed me softly.

"You scared me, that's all," I managed, my heart still fluttering from his touch.

He smirked at me. "You know, between the black eye and the enormous line across your forehead," he paused to run his finger lightly over it, "you'd think _you'd _been the one out hunting this weekend."

"Line? Wha…" Then I remembered resting my head on the edge of the sink.

"Oh, fabulous." I sighed and leaned my head back to stare at the ceiling through my one good eye, trying to imagine what my swelled face looked like in comparison to the marble god seated beside me.

"May I ask _why _you were resting your forehead on the sink?"

I sat up and gazed at him. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing. You know, just chores and such," I said with all the sincerity I could muster. Edward's beautiful eyes tightened the tiniest bit. He wasn't buying it. I sighed again.

"I was thinking about how selfish I am." I watched him carefully, scrutinizing his reaction. To my surprise, he smiled.

"We have gone over this before, Bella," he said quietly. "Things happen that we have no control over."

"I know but-"

"Bella." His eyes begged me not to continue. Edward hated to see me upset, especially when it was about something he couldn't fix.

"Edward," I looked at him sternly. "I have made several decisions that I'm not proud of. I have hurt everyone." I set the ice pack aside and placed my hands on either side of his face. "Especially you."

He looked at me with frustrated eyes.

"I've been selfish, too," he whispered.

I smiled at him. "Yes, but your selfishness, incidentally, worked out pretty well for me." I was trying desperately to lighten the mood. "I can live with those decisions, but I can't ignore them, okay?"

His expression relaxed just a little, and he sighed in agreement. "Okay."

We sat still for a moment gazing at each other, not knowing quite what to say. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him how sorry I was for the stupid things I had done, but I knew he didn't think of the situation the same way I did. He would become flustered again and insist that I'd done nothing but find my way. Judging from the tension in his eyes, Edward wanted to reprimand me for worrying so much about my actions and the results there-of. Knowing that neither path would get us anywhere, we shifted positions on the sofa. I laid my head against his chest, reapplying the ice pack to my eye.

"You're back early."

He shrugged. "There wasn't a very good variety, and Emmett got tired of deer so… here I am."

We lay in comfortable silence for a while before his velvety voice broke it.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about how to explain this black eye to Charlie."

"I'm pretty sure he'll believe any story in which you fall down." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Ha, ha." I said sarcastically. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"Look at it this way- if you didn't constantly need saving, I would have nothing to do during the day." I could feel his cool breath on my ear; as much as I wanted to retort, my defenses melted, and my heart sputtered.

He laughed at my increased heartbeat. "Will you never get tired of me?" He meant to tease me, but there was a slight edge of worry in his voice. I turned myself to face him and stared intently into his eyes.

"Never," I said with strong sincerity.

* * *

**So what did you think? R&R please**


	2. Falling

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "Like A Dream" - After Edmund

* * *

A wave of nausea coursed through me as I walked toward Edward at the head of the church. Where were the bridal parties? I searched for the groomsmen. I looked around slowly, desperate to find Jasper among the pews of guests; this was one of the few times that I could use a dose of vampire-inflicted serenity. Failing to spot him, I turned my attention back to Edward. He looked so beautiful in his tuxedo, smiling wider than I'd ever seen before. I swallowed hard and continued my slow journey toward the altar. It felt as if years were passing, each footstep heavier than the last.

_Almost there_, I coached myself. _Halfway now_. I tripped on my train but caught myself before I made too big a scene.

I tried to concentrate on Edward and what this day meant for our future. We would be together forever. For eternity. That thought alone was enough to overshadow my anxiety. I grinned with genuine happiness now, and that made Edward smile even wider. I stepped forward with a newfound confidence, but felt no carpet beneath my feet. I looked downward and found myself staring into a black hole, and I was falling hard and fast into it. I heard Edward scream my name, but saw nothing but the darkness consuming me.

I jerked awake.

Edward's frigid arms were around me before I could seek them out. My chest heaved with ragged breathing, and I was soaked in a cold sweat.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Edward pleaded.

I focused my vision on the ceiling and quickly assessed my surroundings.

"It was a dream," I said more to myself than Edward. I rolled over and faced him. "Just a bad dream," I said with less than believable reassurance.

His forehead creased with worry. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked nervously.

I was sure I couldn't hide the fear that flickered on my face. Edward was the last person I should tell. My having a nightmare about our upcoming wedding wouldn't exactly make him happy.

"No, it was nothing." I smiled as best I could, but he wasn't convinced. I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. He looked at me suspiciously.

"Really, I'm fine."

"You're sure?"

I nodded and curled my head under his chin to hide any worry that might be lingering on my face. He tightened his arms around me and sighed. "Go back to sleep," he whispered.

I closed my eyes, knowing full well I was not going to be able to go back to sleep.

"I'll be right back, okay?" I said. He nodded and loosened his arms.

I got up from the bed and threw him a reassuring smile before I closed the door. I shuffled quietly to the bathroom, careful not to wake Charlie, and closed the door softly behind me. I snorted at my reflection in the mirror. My right eye had swelled like a balloon and had darkened to a sickening shade of purple. This, along with the mussed hair and the holey pajamas, made me feel almost guilty that Edward had to be close to me. I ran the cold water and splashed a generous amount on my face, hoping to wash away the distress brought on by my nightmare. I ran my fingers through my hair to tame it until I could shower in the morning, and stepped lightly back to my bedroom.

Edward was still lying across my bed with his arms behind his head and his feet crossed. Despite the comfortable position, he looked unsettled. I knew I was going to have to tell the truth; he could see right through my feeble lies. I sat down beside him and smoothed his worried brow with my fingers.

"Do you really want to hear about it?" I asked.

"Yes, but only if you feel comfortable telling me."

I sighed. _How should I start?_

"Okay, well…" I bit my lip as Edward shifted to a sitting position to face me. I sighed again.

_Just spit it out! _I closed my eyes.

"It was our wedding day." I blurted out. I peeked out from under my eyelids to assess his reaction. His jaw set, and his face hardened, though his eyes remained understanding.

"No no no!" I almost shouted. "The wedding wasn't the nightmare part."

He breathed an unnecessary sigh of relief, but remained tense.

"I was walking down the aisle," I recalled, replaying it in my head, "and I fell into this black hole."

"You were walking down the aisle on our wedding day," he repeated slowly, "and you fell into a black hole."

I nodded. He stared at me with a stern expression, and I could tell he was searching my eyes. His tension had not subsided. I held his hand in both of mine and tried to reassure him.

"Before I fell, though, I looked at you, and I felt…" I wracked my brain, trying to find the right words to convey the feeling. "Confident. Like I was making the right decision."

His expression softened, and his eyes glowed. "Why were you so worried to tell me?"

"Well, your initial reaction was the one I was dreading."

He chuckled softly. "I apologize for jumping to conclusions."

I rolled my eyes and leaned into him.

"I can't believe _you _are apologizing to _me_," I said, my voice muffled against his shirt. He pulled me closer and laid back down.

"It's late, Bella." He kissed my forehead softly and held me close. I settled myself snuggly against Edward's chest, closed my eyes, and drifted away.

* * *

**R&R please**


	3. Taking Notes

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "Always Love" - Nada Surf

* * *

I awoke to the sound of thunder rumbling somewhere in the distance. I reached for Edward out of habit and realized he wasn't beside me. I peered around the room and saw no sign of him. Slightly confused, I grabbed some clean clothes and headed off to the shower.

After I was freshly bathed, I walked to the kitchen to get breakfast. A note on the kitchen table caught my eye as I entered the room.

_Bella, __Fishing with Billy. Back around noon. __-Charlie_

I sighed in annoyance; not because Charlie was gone, but because I had thought the note might be from Edward.

_Where is he, anyway? _

I crumpled the note and retrieved a bowl from the cabinet.

I ate my cereal slowly, staring at the front door the entire time. As I was rinsing my bowl, I heard it swing open.

"Edward?" I called.

He appeared in the doorway with a smile on his face. He was at my side in an instant and wrapped his marble arms around me.

"Where have you been?" I demanded.

"Perfect weather for baseball! You didn't get my note?"

"What note?"

He looked confused. "I left a note on your desk. You didn't see it?"

A note on my desk. Why hadn't I thought to look there?

"No," I muttered. He laughed at the scowl that was plastered on my face.

"I'm sorry, I should've left it on your pillow."

"It's okay. I just feel ridiculous for worrying all this time when I could've just looked on my desk."

He tightened his arms and pulled me into an embrace. "Well, I'm here now."

"Who won?" I asked.

He laughed heartily. "Well, we didn't keep score, but you would think that Emmett lost the World Series when Esme called him out. Of course he didn't yell at Esme, but he showed a strong dislike for Jasper's laughter."

I laughed at the image this statement conjured in my head. "I wished I'd seen it."

"I wanted to bring you along, but you were sleeping so soundly I didn't want to wake you. You need sleep you can heal." He gently ran his finger over my blackened eye.

"It's alright, I'm sure this won't be the last time Emmett pitches a fit."

Edward laughed again in his musical voice, and we walked hand in hand to the living room.

"What should we do today?" I asked.

"Nothing involving any risk whatsoever," he smiled obnoxiously and pointed to my eye. I made a face at him. "You're right, I'm sorry. It doesn't really matter if there is any risk, you'll hurt yourself regardless."

"Ha, ha. You're awfully antagonistic today."

"Emmett rubbed off on me." He smiled crookedly as we sat down on the couch. The smile slowly transformed into a smirk. "Alice wants to discuss wedding plans today."

"Oh boy."

"I thought you were coming around," he said as his brows knitted together.

"I am, I am. I was just expressing my enthusiasm for the abundance of elaborate plans she will undoubtedly share with me."

He smiled again. "There's always Vegas." I had considered that option, but if I was going to get married, I was going to do it right.

"No, I'll find a way to reign her in." My forehead creased as I thought about how hard that was going to be.

Edward smirked. "Good luck."

"Hey now, it's your wedding too. I'm not facing her alone," I pointed out.

"The only thing I care about is that you show up." He smiled jokingly, but sincerity coursed through his eyes.

I smiled at him and kissed him gently. "I'll be there, no matter how grandiose or elaborate."

He grinned wider now, and I could tell this pleased him. I took his hand and inhaled deeply. "Let's get this over with." And so we walked, at a thoroughly human pace, out the front door.

* * *

**R&R please**


	4. Plans

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

* * *

"Oh. My. God." My eyes flickered back and forth between Alice's overly excited face and the mountain of bridal magazines balanced precariously on the coffee table. Edward squeezed my hand.

"I mean, wow, Alice. Way to be… prepared." I carefully twisted my horrified expression into a forced smile.

Alice either didn't notice or didn't care (most likely the latter) because she grabbed my hand and danced her way toward the mound with an impressive amount of enthusiasm.

"These," she pointed to the pile of magazines, "are issues, old and new, of bridal publications for inspiration… and this," she hoisted a huge three ring binder onto the couch with a thud, "is a collection of themes that I think would be good options to consider."

I stared at the binder. It was only slightly smaller than the mass on the coffee table and had colored tabs sticking out in every direction.

"Wow."

Alice's face glowed despite my shocked expression. "I also have some fabric samples for the bridesmaid dresses I picked up from Perrine Bruyere. I went ahead and gave him my tentative design for the dresses because I saw that you would approve. About the color scheme, I was thinking blood red…" A sly grin spread across her angelic face. "Ironic, right? You also need to decide on other bridesmaids, besides yours truly, and locations. Outside would be nice, but considering the weather, you would have to choose between wet guests or shiny vampires. Have you guys talked dates yet?"

I just stared at her, speechless. I turned slowly to face Edward, who was trying unsuccessfully to stifle his laughter. I shot him a look, and he sobered slightly.

"Let's take it one thing at a time, Alice," he said with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

She sighed but retained her enthusiasm and plopped down on the couch. She moved the sizeable notebook onto her lap (looking ridiculously tiny underneath it) and flipped to the first page.

"Okay," she said cheerfully, "let's talk location. Church?"

"Won't you guys like burst into flames or something?" I said.

They both laughed. "No, Bella. Rosalie and Emmett had their second wedding in a church, and the only flames were on the candles," Alice said.

"Well that's a relief. Now how about lunch?" I had barely stood up before Alice pulled me back down.

She didn't miss a beat. "Later. What about a hotel? Like the Hilton in Seattle?" Her eyes shimmered as she considered the possibilities of the huge ballroom.

I looked at Edward. I had no idea where I wanted to be married. I had actually not even thought about it, but the enormity of the Hilton ballroom was a little intimidating.

He shrugged. "I think Bella would rather it be a slightly smaller ceremony than that." I took his hand, grateful for his support.

"Hmmm…" Alice crinkled her beautiful face in deliberation. "Of course! We'll have it here!"

I looked around the vast room I was sitting in. It was large but not gigantic, which would work to my advantage as far as the guest list was concerned, and the high ceilings and floor-length windows were gorgeous.

I smiled. "I think I like that. Edward?" He smiled back at me.

Alice clapped her hands together with excitement. "Great! Now, have you two decided on a date?"

I bit my lip. This was a harder decision. I wanted it to be sometime before my birthday, but not too soon. I felt Edward's eyes on me.

"Before September," I said, "but…" I bit my lip again and sighed. "I guess I'll have to tell them soon."

Edward gave my hand a gentle squeeze, knowing how nervous I was to tell Charlie and Renee about the engagement. I had chickened out the last time we tried to tell Charlie. I had walked in, so determined and eager to get it over with, seen Charlie yelling at the football game on the television set, and fled to my bedroom, my confidence deflated.

"September, huh? That doesn't give me much planning time… two months at the most."

I laughed at her worried expression. "It doesn't look like you are behind," I said, gesturing to the overflowing coffee table.

"What about August thirtieth? That's not too close to your birthday." She looked at me with pleading eyes, knowing I couldn't resist a well played guilt trip.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine."

"Good! Bridesmaids?"

"Angela."

"Uh-huh…" she said as she scribbled notes in her binder.

"And Rosalie." Both Alice and Edward looked at me, surprised.

"Really?" a musical voice called from behind me.

My head swung around to see Rosalie, in all her perfection, standing in the doorway. I hadn't even noticed she'd come in. She looked at me timidly. I had never seen her so gentle before.

I smiled at her. "Of course, Rosalie."

She was at my side in a flash, planting a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Thank you, Bella." Her eyes sparkled and she ran gracefully from the room.

Edward kissed my forehead softly. "That was very nice of you."

I blushed and shrugged my shoulders. "What's next?" I asked Alice.

She quickly flipped a page and ran her finger down the first column. She stopped on a line and looked up at me.

"Red?" she asked with an impish grin.

"Sure, why not," I couldn't really care less, and I knew the other Cullens would enjoy the irony.

Alice scribbled something else and flipped the page. "I haven't really thought about the flowers at all… Roses are classic, but lilies are so much softer…" she pursed her lips as she considered this.

"Freesia," Edward interrupted.

I turned my head toward him and nodded in agreement.

"Freesia," I repeated.

Alice continued to take notes in her perfect handwriting. Without looking up, she gestured us away with her hand and said, "I think I've got it from here, so you two can run along." As Edward and I were rising from the couch, she caught my arm. Her pixie features beamed up at me. "You are going to love it, I can tell!" She winked at me as she added the last part.

I felt somewhat relieved; sometimes it sure came in handy that Alice could see the future. Edward and I were making our way down the front steps when Emmett's gigantic Jeep came rumbling up the driveway. It skidded to a stop as Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme were already making their graceful exits from the vehicle.

"Bella, so good to see you," Esme said as she stepped forward to kiss my cheek.

Jasper and Carlisle waved their greetings as they unloaded new camping equipment from the Jeep's trunk. Edward looked at Emmett and laughed, obviously reading his thoughts. I looked at him as well. He was still sitting in the driver's seat grumbling to himself.

"What?" I looked at Esme and Edward questioningly.

"We were at the Newtons' sporting goods store, and he wanted new tires for the Jeep. We tried to convince him that these," she paused and pointed to the monstrous tires, "are big enough."

Emmett turned his annoyed expression on Esme. "Did you see the size of them? I could've scaled a mountain with those things! Nice shiner, Bella." He huffed childishly and stomped into the house, making the foundation tremble. Even when he was angry, Emmett still felt the need to tease me.

Edward took my hand and led me to the Volvo.

"We'll be back later," he called.

When we were seated inside his shiny car he turned to face me. "Ready?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He kissed me gently and put the car into gear. Then we drove, entirely too fast, to Charlie's house.

* * *

**R&R please**


	5. Spit It Out

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "Bend And Not Break" - Dashboard Confessional

* * *

I stared at Charlie's police cruiser parked in the driveway, and my palms began to sweat.

"Bella, breathe." Edward held my face tenderly in his hands and spoke the soothing words mere inches from my face. His sweet breath intoxicated my senses, and my heart sputtered frantically.

"Oh, great," I stuttered. As much as I wanted to stay here in his hands, it wasn't helping the impending situation. "This really isn't the best way to go about calming me down."

He chuckled softly and released me. "I'm sorry."

I laughed in spite of my anxiety. "Don't ever apologize for _that_."

Edward smiled again and got out of the car. Because we were in the view of the living room window, he took his time approaching the Volvo's passenger side and opened my door with restrained strength. He took my hand as he shut the car door behind me. We strolled casually up the walk and paused at the front door. I looked at the opal ring Edward had slipped on my finger in the car. I was scared. No, I was terrified. More so than I had been approaching the dance studio in Phoenix. Where was Jasper when you needed him? I shuddered involuntarily, and Edward squeezed my hand. His smoldering eyes somewhat alleviated my anxiety, and I swung the door open.

Charlie was sitting in his customary seat at the kitchen table, flipping through the newspaper and picking at the pizza on the plate in front of him.

"Hi, honey." He smiled cheerfully at me, then turned to Edward with a less-than-enthusiastic expression. "Edward."

"Good afternoon, Charlie." Edward was always so polite, though Charlie didn't always deserve it.

Charlie looked at me again with concern. "Bella, are you alright? It's hard to tell with the purple eye, but you look kinda…" he squinted, "blue."

"Breathe," Edward repeated almost silently, and I exhaled. I hadn't even noticed I'd been holding my breath.

Charlie was suspicious now. He folded his newspaper and leaned back in his chair. "What's going on?" He crossed his arms, looking worried.

"We need to tell you something," I said slowly.

His expression hardened. "Okay," he said evenly.

"It's kind of important…" My eyes searched the room, trying to find the right words.

Charlie stared at me with anger flaring in his eyes. "Are you… pregnant?"

_Oh my God_. I was horrified.

"No! Dad, we had this discussion! Edward and I are… I mean we're not… It's just not like that, okay!" I closed my eyes and pulled in a slow breath.

Edward moved his arm around my waist. "Charlie, I have asked Bella to marry me."

I looked at Charlie nervously, trying to detect some hint of emotion in his expression. There was none.

"And I," I started quietly, "have said yes."

His face remained blank. "When?" he asked.

"August thirtieth." I bit my lip.

Charlie took a long and audible breath. He rose silently from his chair and walked into the living room. Soon, I heard the whistles and shouts of a football game coming from the television.

I looked up at Edward questioningly.

His brow was furrowed. "His mind is blank. He doesn't know how to react, but he doesn't seem surprised." He looked down at me. "We should probably leave him alone for a while."

I nodded, and we made our way toward the front door. As Edward pulled it open, I heard Charlie somberly call from the living room, "See you kids later."

I strained my ear towards his voice, trying to discern some sense of anger, worry, sadness, anything at all… but, once again, there was nothing. I clung to Edward more tightly, and we walked down the driveway to the car.

I buckled my seatbelt with some difficulty, as I was still staring intently into the front window. I don't know what I expected to see: furniture flying, maybe? Edward started the Volvo wordlessly, sensing I did not want to talk just yet, and took off towards the Cullen mansion.

We were there within minutes, staring at the ivy covered house in silence. Edward's lips suddenly grazed mine, and he pulled me to his chest.

"He will come around, Bella. Trust me." His icy arms held me tighter.

I smiled. I did trust him. With everything. "Thank you for going with me." I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Edward released me, too soon as usual, and shot to my door in a blur. He swung it open and led me up the porch steps. The door opened as we approached, and Alice stood in the doorway.

She smiled at me tentatively. "So, that could've been worse, right?"

I sighed in frustration. I had forgotten Alice would see the outcome. I could've just asked her how it would go; it would've decreased my chances of getting an ulcer.

"What?" Now it was her turn to be frustrated. "Was I wrong?"

"No," I grumbled.

"Then-" She started to say something, but Edward held up his hand as to silence her as we walked past. "Well, come down later, okay? I have some fantastic ideas for the centerpieces." Her eyes glittered once more, and she pranced away.

We moved slowly, very slowly in fact, up the stairs to Edward's room. Once inside, I ran my fingers aimlessly along the rows of CDs lining one of the walls. I stopped on a title, not knowing or caring what it was, removed it and put it into the stereo. Then I retired to the bed, plopping myself down heavily next to Edward and curling up on my side.

I smacked my hands over my eyes as a thought entered my head. I had to laugh to keep from crying.

"Renee," I said. "I still have to tell Renee."

Edward chuckled. "Don't worry, she'll be a bit more expressive with her reaction."

I groaned.

He removed my hands from my face and grinned. "Alice said that they'll both be okay in the end. They won't be angry forever." He looked out the window and noticed that the rain had stopped. "Would you like to go hiking?"

By this, he meant that he would hike, and I would cling to his back for dear life, but I needed the distraction; I was not at all eager to find out what was waiting for me at home.

"Yes, please."

* * *

**R&R please**


	6. Understanding

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "There Cannot Be A Close Second" - Copeland

* * *

"How's he doing?"

Edward stared up at my house, and his forehead creased with concentration. "He's calm. It won't be pleasant, but he isn't furious."

I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "See you in a few?"

He smiled crookedly and nodded. I kissed him once more, exited the car, and tried to navigate my way to the door in the darkness. My shoe caught a crack in the driveway, and I fell forward. Just as I was about to become one with the pavement, two cold, stiff hands caught my shoulders, and quiet laughter erupted from behind me.

"Please, Bella, one black eye is enough," Edward cooed.

"Hurry back," I grumbled at him. I twisted from his grip and watched him walk back to the Volvo, laughing all the way.

I turned the door knob and entered the house cautiously. I could still hear the cheering and jeering of angry fans, so I turned and walked sluggishly into the living room. Charlie did not move his eyes from the screen as I entered, nor did he mutter a greeting. I walked to the sofa and tried to make myself comfortable. After a few tense minutes, the room fell silent as the television was muted. I heard Charlie's breathing pick up, but he still refused to look at me.

"What about college?" he asked almost inaudibly.

"We have both been accepted to Dartmouth for the spring." I bit my lip. This was almost the truth; we _had_ been accepted to Dartmouth (I was pushing for the University of Alaska), but whether we attended college at all was still uncertain.

He turned to me, surprised. "Dartmouth?" he repeated.

"I'm not that bad of a student." I tried to act offended, but I knew I had only gotten in because of some ungodly Cullen bribe.

His face was set in a scowl now. "What about the tuition?"

I swallowed hard; this part was an issue for me too. "Edward insists that his funds are mine, too... It will be paid in full." I hated the idea of Edward throwing away so much money on me, and I was still against it, but I had to explain it to Charlie somehow.

His jaw tightened. I don't think he liked the idea that Edward could provide more for me than he had been able to.

He sat back in his chair and mulled this over. "I talked to Esme."

I looked up, surprised.

"I called her," he explained. "She made good sense."

I was intrigued as to what she had said, but I could tell Charlie wasn't going to elaborate.

He leaned forward in his chair and looked at me seriously. "I can see the seriousness of this relationship. I don't understand it, but I see it. He loves you, I know, but…" He hung his head. "Please wait to start a family. I have always wondered if Renee and I had waited…" He met my eyes again. "If life would've been better for you."

I moved forward to hug him. "Dad, life is good right now." I couldn't stand to see Charlie upset. "And believe me, children are _nowhere_ in our near future." He had no idea how much of a understatement that was. I squeezed him tight and pulled back. "This is what I want."

He sighed and smiled reluctantly. "I know." He suddenly chuckled. "Have you told Renee yet?"

_Ugh._

"No."

He laughed again. "Good luck."

I decided to end the conversation on a good note. I kissed his forehead and told him goodnight. I was halfway up the stairs before I stopped and returned to the living room.

"How is…" I started hesitantly. "How is Billy holding up?"

Charlie continued to stare at the muted football game, and I followed his gaze to an enraged coach yelling soundless profanities at the referee.

"Okay, I guess. Lonely."

I didn't want to hear anymore. I backed out of the room and sluggishly climbed the stairs. It was my fault that Billy was lonely because it was my fault Jacob had run away. Sam Uley insisted that Jacob was fine, but he was all Billy had. I immediately felt a rush of guilt, and tears started to pool in my eyes. I shook my head angrily. No more tears for Jacob. Edward was waiting for me in my room, and I refused to let him see me like this. I decided to forego my room for the time being to wash my face in the bathroom sink. I brushed my teeth fiercely, seeking any opportunity to distract myself, and saw a tint of red in the sink when I rinsed.

_Blood. Wonderful. _It was a good thing Edward had grown so used to it.

I checked my reflection in the mirror. The swelling of my eye had gone down quite a bit, but it was still a morbid purple. I stood there quietly, stalling. I wanted to get rid of any trace of sadness before I went to see Edward.

_What am I doing? _I thought to myself.

I had the most caring, protective, and beautiful person I have ever met waiting for me in my bedroom, and I was having a pity-party in front of the bathroom mirror. I wiped my eyes, ran my fingers through my hair, and trotted off to Edward's waiting arms.

* * *

**R&R please**


	7. Phone Calls and Fittings

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "The Words We Say" - Straylight Run

* * *

"Could you just- If you would- Talk to Charlie, he's-" I squeezed my eyes shut. This wasn't getting me anywhere. I held the phone a good five inches from my ear, and I could still hear Renee's frantic voice as clear as day coming from the receiver. I tried to tune out her arguments and concentrate on Edward. He seemed thoroughly at ease with Renee's reaction (he had probably asked Alice for the details and was therefore prepared) and played with my hair while Renee gave me premature hearing loss.

"Bella, I am begging you! Please don't make the same mistake I made!"

"Mom, I'm not-"

"I know exactly what's gonna happen! You'll get married, and then you'll get pregnant and forget all about college!"

_What is up with all this pregnancy talk?_

"Mom!" I screamed into the phone.

For the first time in twenty minutes, there was silence on the line.

"Listen to me very carefully, please." I took a quick breath. "This _is_ what I want. I will _not_ forget about school because Edward won't _let_ me. And I will _not_ get pregnant."

I heard a deep sigh come through the receiver.

"Will you please just talk to Charlie about it? This is a good thing, I swear. No mistakes. I can guarantee it." I pressed my ear to the phone, waiting impatiently for her reaction.

Another deep breath was audible. "I will talk to Charlie."

I relaxed. This was the closest thing to acceptance I was going to get for now. "Thank you. I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Bella." Then there was silence.

I sighed and hung up the phone.

Edward continued twirling my hair as he spoke. "I think she took it very well." A ridiculously large grin spread across his face.

"You are so twisted," I retorted.

He laughed and snatched me from my seat on the kitchen counter. "Now," he began as he cradled me in his arms, "we have a fitting to go to."

My eyes rolled back in my head as I groaned. He laughed again and whisked me out the door.

* * *

"Holy crow, Alice!" I yelled as another pin nicked my thigh. "You may be invincible, but I'm not. Yet."

She smiled at this. "I have to be efficient, Bella. You are only giving me two months to prepare for this wedding," she pointed out.

"Efficient does not equal violent," I said with a sour look.

"Hush, Bella." Her voice was harsh, but her smile remained. "Turn around."

I obeyed, if only to avoid more pin stickings, and turned to face the giant mirror occupying Alice's closet door. In spite of my annoyance, I was immediately placated by what I saw. The dress that Alice had gotten me was breathtaking; it was 1920s inspired white satin with vintage lace draping the shoulders. Even I had to admit that my plain figure looked sophisticated and almost curvaceous in the classic gown.

Alice read the excitement in my eyes. "I'll bet Edward will love it twice as much as you do."

Butterflies stirred in my stomach as I thought of my dream and Edward's face when he had seen me walking down the aisle. I still wasn't one hundred percent thrilled with this holy matrimony deal, but it meant having Edward forever; that was enough to override any lingering doubts.

"I think," Alice said with pins sticking out of her mouth, "that we are done!" She stood up beside me and gazed at my reflection as well. "Gorgeous."

I blushed.

She proceeded to arrange my hair in various temporary up-dos, experimenting with height and style. "I'm thinking up. With curls. Yes." I did not respond because I knew she wasn't looking for my input. Her eyes were suddenly ablaze with excitement. "Do you want to see the bridesmaids' dresses?!" Without waiting for an answer, she dashed to the corner of the closet and pulled a very expensive looking garment bag from among the hangers.

I tensed. If the garment bag was that nice, I could only imagine what was inside of it.

"Ta-da!" She squealed with glee as she slid one of the dresses from the bag.

I was stunned. It was beautiful. On the hanger was a crimson red halter dress with wide-set shoulder straps and a train touching to the floor.

"Alice, it's perfect! So simple but… perfect."

Her pixie eyes glowed. "You really like it?"

"I'm almost jealous I'm not wearing it myself."

She grinned mischievously. "I knew you'd say that." She pulled another dress from the bag. It was identical in style to the first, but it was blue.

My first reaction was to be furious, but I couldn't. I was overwhelmed that Alice had thought of me like this. I could feel my eyes begin to well up. "Alice, you really shouldn't have done that," I said quietly. "Surely, it was too expensive-"

"It certainly was not, and you need something for the honeymoon." She beamed, looking very much like an angel. "Consider it my wedding gift. It's your 'something blue'!" She giggled.

"You're planning the wedding, that's enough of a gift in and of itself."

Alice ignored my protests, and placed both dresses back in the garment bag.

I threw my arms around her, and my tears began to spill. "Thank you for everything, Alice." The words suited the immediate situation, but I owed Alice for so many things; she had accepted me when the other Cullens had been skiddish, she had volunteered to change me when Edward had refused, and, most importantly, she was the reason I was reunited with him in the first place.

She kissed me gently on the cheek and said, "My pleasure." She released me and put her hands on my shoulders. "Now let's get you out of this dress before you soak it with tears."

* * *

**R&R please**

**Just in case you're curious-**  
a **very** modern version of the wedding dress: www.bridalwave.tv/Oscardelarenta25May.JPG  
for the bridesmaid dress (the link won't work): search for "LINDA'S PROM DRESS/EVENING DRESS/BRIDESMAID DRESS IN RED EV101" on amazon


	8. The Wedding March

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "Breathe Today" - Flyleaf

* * *

The next few weeks were a blur of flower arrangements, cake tastings (I had to complete this task alone, of course), guest lists, and gift registration. The last was the most frustrating; there are only so many household appliances that a houseful of vampires can use (Edward and I had already decided on regifting them to our human acquaintances), but we went through with it anyway to keep up appearances. Renee had already been roaming store after store in search of the perfect wedding gift. Like Charlie, she had accepted the fact that the wedding was on, whether she liked it or not, and had participated in the planning with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.

Charlie had been fairly quiet throughout the entire process, only responding verbally when absolutely necessary. I wasn't sure how much to include him in the planning; if I involved him, he may begin to resent the situation, and if I didn't, he may feel left out. I decided to let him in on plans according to his mood at the time, and he responded with the proper nods and 'uh-huh's when prodded. His interactions with Edward grew slightly more pleasant as the days went on, greeting him with words instead of grunts. The idea of a prospective son-in-law can do wonders for your manners.

Edward had been there every step of the way, holding my hand and helping me keep Alice's extravagance to a minimum. As each day of stressful planning and preparation came to a close, he would hold me close and sing me to sleep. Despite the anxiety inflicted by the upcoming nuptials, I was blissfully happy when he was by my side.

_Hmm… Bella Cullen. I think I like that._

"Bella?" a musical voice said, drawing me out of my stupor. "Bella, did you hear what I said?"

I turned to face Alice. "I'm sorry, Alice, I didn't. What was that?"

She crinkled her ivory forehead. "We'll have to move the date up a week."

I stopped twirling the tiny, blue flag marked 'Jessica' that we had yet to place on the seating chart. "What?" I asked carefully as my stomach churned.

"I saw a storm hit the week of the thirtieth. We'll have to move up the wedding." She watched carefully for my reaction. I was silent, and she continued. "Well, the reception is going to be outside, and we can't have it when it's raining… and the week after is going to be unusually sunny, so…"

I leaned back on the Cullens' sofa and groaned. Of course, the week after was out of the question (we couldn't have shimmering vampires running around), but to move it up a week…

"We'll have to change everything! The invitations and Renee's flight…" I closed my eyes in defeat. I was thoroughly exhausted.

Alice was beside me on the couch almost instantly. "Don't worry, Bella, I'll take care of everything!" She kissed my cheek to reassure me. "No problems, I swear."

I opened my eyes reluctantly and gazed at her pixie-like face. I managed a half-hearted smile, which quickly faded as I calculated the date in my head.

"Wait," I said, trying unsuccessfully to disguise the panic in my voice. "Alice, that's next week!" I closed my eyes once more as tears of frustration threatened to spill over. Almost immediately, I felt cool arms encircle me.

"She's overwhelmed," Alice whispered.

I felt Edward's lips on the top of my head. "I know," he replied softly.

I felt the weight on the sofa shift slightly and knew that he had shooed Alice away.

"Bella, I'm sorry." He drew me closer to his chest. "I should've realized it was too soon for you."

I pulled back to look at him through bleary eyes. "It's not that. It's just so much at once! Everything has to be changed!"

"Alice has it all under control, love," he said soothingly.

"I know, I just… God, I'm such a baby," I managed a laugh and rubbed the tears from my cheeks. I felt very silly all of a sudden.

He chuckled softly and assisted me with wiping my tear-stained face. "It's just stress, it will pass." He leaned down and pressed his lips gently to mine. "Alice will handle everything from now on. You need some time to relax."

"Really?"

"Really." His eyes still look troubled.

I ran my fingers across his perfect cheek. "What's wrong?" I asked.

He looked at me warily. "You aren't having second thoughts, are you?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Edward, I love you. I'm nervous, of course, but _nothing_ will keep me from spending my future with you." My voice grew more serious now. "Nothing."

His furrowed brow relaxed.

"I thought you were helping Emmett with his clerical license."

"I saw you in Alice's mind from upstairs… besides, I'm pretty sure he can manage without me."

I raised an eyebrow.

He laughed. "I'll help him later."

I laughed too and leaned into his chest.

"Would you like to accompany me to the meadow?" His cool breath was intoxicating.

Words failed me, so I nodded like an imbecile while my heart thumped loudly in my chest.

He chuckled again and swept me out of the house.

* * *

Today was the day.

I watched as the clock on the wall signaled one forty. Twenty minutes.

I turned to face the mirror that hung on Alice's closet door. I smoothed my veil for the hundredth time that afternoon, and examined the soft curls that cascaded from underneath it. Alice had done a beautiful job. My make-up was simple, as was my hair, but it suited me perfectly.

I slowly twisted my waist to examine my lacy train. I had worn the dress before, but I was still stunned at how I looked in it. This time, though, something was different. For the first time since Edward proposed, this image made sense to me. The white dress and veil looked… right. My stomach churned with a new emotion: excitement. The crippling fear of how other people would judge me was hardly a thought now. This wasn't for them. It was for Edward and me. For our future together. My stomach knotted tighter as I thought about my name once more… _Bella Cullen_…

I jumped at the sound of the door opening.

"Can I come in?" Rosalie asked from the doorway.

I smiled nervously and silently commanded the butterflies to stop fluttering in my stomach.

Rosalie sat down gracefully on a chair in the corner of the room. As impressed as I had been by my own reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of inferiority when I looked at her. Her golden hair was flawless as usual, and the red bridesmaid dress Alice had selected was breathtaking against her ivory skin.

"I hope you know… how much this means to me," she said quietly. "To be in Edward's -- your -- wedding. I don't deserve it."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she raised her hand to stop me.

"I don't." Her eyes studied the floor as she searched for more words, and I was reminded of the last time we had been alone together; she had tried to talk me out of changing into one of them. I had felt an odd affection for her since then; I was still turned off by the memory of her early hatred, but I was touched that she cared enough to share her story with me.

"I just wanted to say…" She gazed up at me with sparkling eyes. "Welcome to our family, Bella."

Before I could form a response, her icy arms squeezed me for a brief moment, and she was gone. A warmth spread over me, and a smile formed on my lips. I channeled my new high into bravery and walked to the window to observe the arrival of guests. I had to crane my neck into a terribly uncomfortable position to get a view of the porch. I could just barely see Charlie, Renee, Carlisle, and Esme greeting our guests with smiles, Charlie's a little smaller than the others. I saw Jessica chatting with my mother while sneaking not-so-subtle glances at Mike, who was just making his way toward the house. I felt pain shoot through my neck, so I returned it to a more natural position, and settled for watching the cars come down the misty driveway.

Beads of perspiration were forming on my forehead, and I realized I was sweltering. I fanned my face hastily with my freshly manicured fingers; the last thing I needed was to look sweaty in my wedding photos. Despite my frantic fanning, I was getting hotter. I sighed as I desperately tried to remember where the thermostat was location in Alice's gargantuan room. I spun around to try to spot it on the opposite wall, and I froze. My hands dropped limply to my side as I discovered the source of the heat.

I could barely get my lips to form the name.

"Jacob…"

* * *

**R&R please**


	9. Trapped

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

**I have gone back and matched songs to some previous chapters, and they fit pretty well (if I do say so myself), so go check them out!**

Chapter Song: "As I Choke" - Ross Copperman

* * *

I couldn't breathe. My body was frozen in shock. A million questions burned on my lips, but my voice failed me. My eyes were locked on his, searching for the answers to my silent inquiries. Jacob's eyes burned with anger and determination. I gulped. I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a friendly visit. I shook my head hard, trying to decide if this was real. He remained where he was, towering above me.

"What are you doing here?" My voice was so quiet, I barely heard it myself.

Anger flared in his pupils once more as he realized I was not happy to see him. He took a steady breath. "I was invited."

I was immediately taken aback. Surely Alice hadn't invited him. "Who…" I was still trying to shake myself out of this dream.

"Edward." He nearly spat the name at me. "He wanted to give me the choice. It was the decent thing to do." Jacob said this mockingly with a disgust that showed he obviously didn't appreciate Edward's gesture. "The bloodsuckers let me in," he snorted. "After all, I am a guest."

Of course Esme and Carlisle had allowed him entrance; they thought I had invited him myself, and they wanted me to be happy.

I looked him over. His body was rippling with anger underneath his worn tuxedo. This wasn't my Jacob. This was someone I didn't know.

"I meant _why_ are you here, Jacob," I said in an even voice.

His face twisted. "He can't…" His fists clenched tighter. "I won't let him do it."

Anger boiled in my chest. "Do what?" I already knew the answer, but I needed to make him say it.

"Take your life away." He took a small step toward me, and closed his eyes. The rippling slowed only slightly. I wished Edward would walk in unexpectedly, but I knew Alice had banished him from seeing me before the ceremony.

Hot tears rose in my eyes. "You don't get it, do you." It wasn't a question. "This is _my_ choice. Mine, Jacob!" I struggled to keep my voice below a shout. If I spoke any louder, they would hear me downstairs, and I would not have a vampire-werewolf war break out on my wedding day. I was more angry than I had ever been. "I cannot believe you have the nerve to try to talk me out of this on the most important day of my life!"

He stared at me, and I swallowed hard.

Realization washed over me. I grabbed onto the windowsill behind me to steady my shaking body. He wasn't here to talk.

"Bella…"

"No." I struggled to maintain my composure as tears poured down my cheeks.

His face contorted with a mixture of pleading and rage.

"Bella. I won't let you become one of them."

"NO!" I screamed at him. My knees were wobbling, and I clung desperately to the windowsill. Making a run for the door was out of the question. I looked desperately out the window down to the porch again, searching for someone to yell to. Everyone was inside now.

Jacob's body stiffened, and his face became alert. Someone was coming to check on me.

Before I could cry out for help, Jacob's sinewy arms were around me, and we were crashing out of the window to the ground below. I screamed Edward's name as I watched the Cullen mansion disappear from sight.

* * *

"Jacob, you son-of-a-bitch! Put me down!" I struggled and flailed my fists at his shoulders as angry tears blurred my vision. I continued to wail on his shoulders as he held me in an inescapable grip. My hands ached, and my knuckles began to bleed from hitting his hard body. I was reminded of how my hand had once been broken from a collision with his jaw, and I realized my attempts at self-defense were futile. But I pounded on him even harder out of frustration and screamed my protests more loudly.

Jacob grabbed both of my swelling fists in one of his and pinned them to his chest. Angry sobs shook my body; I was trapped.

"Why are you doing this?! Why?!" My voice was barely audible through my convulsive wailing. I twisted as far around as I could against Jacob's chest to look frantically behind us. Why weren't they following us?!

My heart sank… Alice couldn't see me with Jacob. That's why no one came to the room sooner. I turned my head to face in front of us again. We were crossing the boundary line. Werewolf scent would be everywhere here; they wouldn't be able to track us.

"Please. Please, just take me back. Please, Jacob!" I begged him.

His face remained expressionless.

My head spun as helplessness overtook me. My breath came quicker, and my hands went numb; I was hyperventilating. I could feel my mind fogging from the lack of oxygen. The forest in front of me quickly faded to black.

* * *

I awoke suddenly, responding to the throbbing pain in my hands. They were bruised, and a moan came from my lips when I attempted to wiggle my fingers. I slowly moved one swollen hand to my forehead, only to feel a damp cloth there. The events of the day came flooding back to me, and I sat up quickly to examine my surroundings. I had no idea where I was. I was lying on a tattered, maroon sofa in an otherwise bare living room. The walls were covered with dark, wooden paneling, and I felt as though I was in a house from the seventies. My hands smarted uncomfortably, and I groaned in pain again.

"They're not broken," a voice said from behind me. "That was a pretty stupid move though, punching me like that."

I whipped around to see Jacob leaning against the doorframe. I jumped to my feet.

"Take me back. Right now, Jacob," I said as calmly as possible.

"No."

"I'll tell them to back off. You will never have to see another Cullen ever again if you just take me back."

"No." The decisiveness in his voice made anger surge even harder through me.

"Do you really think you are accomplishing anything?!" I shouted. "What are you going to do?! Keep me prisoner in…" I threw my hands in the air as I examined the room. "Wherever the hell we are?!"

He stared at me in silence, obviously unaffected by my words.

I stomped toward him and glared into his dark eyes. "They'll find me, you know. They are looking already. You have no idea what you have started."

"No they won't," he said simply. "They won't find you, Bella."

A lump formed in my throat. I rewound the day in my head, trying to remember where Jacob had been running. The only thing I could remember was crossing the boundary line before I blacked out. I suppressed the helplessness that washed over me; I refused to show Jacob any vulnerability. I glared at him again.

"You swore you would never ever hurt me. This is the biggest wound you could have ever inflicted."

Hurt crossed his face. His eyes looked pained.

"You can stay in that room there." He pointed to a door on the other side of the room and grabbed my hand to lead me toward it.

I jerked my hand out of his, ignoring the sharp pain the action caused in my wrist. I felt my face burn with fury.

"Don't you dare touch me."

Jacob froze where he was as I stomped off to my intended quarters.

"I'll be on the couch, so don't try anything," I heard him warn as I slammed the door shut behind me.

I looked around the small room. A cot sat against one wall with a blanket folded neatly on top, and a small mirror hung above an old wash basin in the corner.

_What is this place?_

I could only see darkness through the small window above the cot and wondered how long I had been unconscious. I ran to it and yanked desperately on the pane. My fingers throbbed in protest, and I was getting nowhere. I stepped back to examine the window and noticed that part of a two by four had been wedged on top of the pane and nailed to the adjacent wall. No wonder it wouldn't open.

I sank down on the cot in disbelief. Was this really happening to me? I was shocked that Jacob had gone to such great lengths to keep me here. It was unsettling to think that someone who I had once considered my best friend was now holding me prisoner. I felt tears welling in my eyes, but I willed myself to stop them. I had cried too much lately, and I was certainly not ready to admit defeat. I rose from the cot and walked to the basin in the corner. I rinsed my stinging hands in the water and splashed some of it on my face, not caring if it was clean water or not.

I opened my eyes and froze as I caught my reflection in the dusty mirror. Black trails of mascara ran from my puffy eyes down to my chin, and my perfectly styled curls were in disarray. My eyes moved down to my attire, and the restrained tears broke through their floodgates. I was still wearing my wedding dress. I thought immediately of my Edward, and all the people I loved who were waiting to see me walk down the aisle.

I sank to my knees as a horrifying thought crossed my mind. Edward had been asking me if I had cold feet; what if he thought I left willingly? I shook my head violently, dispelling the thought. I was being ridiculous now, letting hysteria get to me. Of course he would know the truth. Edward loved me and knew I loved him too.

_Oh, Edward…_

My body shook with violent sobs, and I curled into a ball on the floor. Tonight should've been the happiest night of my life, the start of my eternity with Edward, and now I was wondering if I would ever see him again.

* * *

**R&R please! A special thanks to everyone who has already reviewed! Leave me some love!**


	10. Resolve

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

**Thanks so much for the positive reviews, especially June Banks for telling me I was helping her cope with waiting for _Breaking Dawn_, that made my day!**

Chapter Song: "Fighting For Your Heart (Let It Go)" - After Edmund

* * *

EPOV:

I pounded my fists into the nearest tree trunk and watched it crack and fall backward onto the forest floor. A massive snarl ripped from my chest.

_Calm yourself, Edward._

"No, Alice!" I shot her a deadly look. "If you hadn't insisted on keeping with tradition, I would've been with her! I WOULD'VE BEEN THERE!" I roared at her.

Her expression remained calm.

I turned on my heels and tried to control the monster rising in my chest. I had never felt so much fury for one being in the entire century of my existence. In a flash, I raced back to the shattered glass on the lawn and retraced the putrid smell of werewolf back to the boundary line for the hundredth time. As soon as I neared the edge of our territory, Jacob's repulsive scent mingled with several others of his kind and became untraceable. I roared again, rage filling every fiber of my being.

Carlisle looked at me with a stern expression. _Edward. We will find Bella, but first you need to get yourself under control._

"Control?!" The idea was utterly preposterous. I was never brusque with Carlisle, but I had lost respect for anything at this point. I continued to pace, clenching and unclenching my fists angrily, as a wave of serenity suddenly drowned me. I turned my glare on my blond brother. "Don't patronize me, Jasper!"

"I asked him to, Edward. You are obviously incapable of rational thought at this point, and we need to develop a plan." Combined with Jasper's mood tampering, Carlisle's tone made me instantly ashamed of my actions.

Though unnecessary, I took a deep breath. "I apologize, Carlisle. I'm sorry, Alice." I was sorry, but still resentful towards Jasper for making me realize it. I did not want to talk; I wanted to act. Now.

Alice's face was still smooth as she stood with Esme and Rosalie at our territory's edge, but all three had worry in their amber eyes.

Emmett came racing along the boundary line towards us. "Nothing. I feel sure he crossed over instead of running to the coast."

So we were nowhere. No trail and no blood on the shattered glass to help us track them either. I had never felt this helpless before; there was always a plan in place. Not this time, though. I hadn't seen it coming. I had invited Jacob thinking it was the right thing to do. Bella cared for him, and he deserved the right to choose. I had accepted his arrival as gracefully as possible, not thinking about his possible ulterior motives. Then, I had blocked everyone's thoughts from my head to keep Bella's appearance a surprise. I should have kept tabs on Jacob's mind at least, but I didn't. This was my fault; I had endangered Bella once again. My dormant rage flared momentarily before calmness overtook me once more. I shot a look at Jasper, acknowledging that I should be grateful, but also knowing that I wasn't.

"Have all the guests been informed?" Carlisle asked in an even voice.

Esme's beautiful voice answered him. "We told them there were complications with the honeymoon arrangements, and that Bella wanted to sort it all out before the ceremony was held."

Thanks in large part to the inferiority of human ears, no one but us had heard the window shatter. The cover story wasn't the greatest, but everyone seemed to accept it without question; even Charlie and Renee had talked extensively with Esme about alternative honeymoon options to try and help "sort it out."

This made my still heart sink in my chest; our honeymoon location was a surprise I had been saving for Bella. I felt my calmness slowly evolve into depression.

"Jasper, could you ease up a bit?" The anger from before returned but was not near as strong.

"Thank you," I muttered. "What now? We have to do something!" I clenched my fists again.

There was silence. I searched my family's thoughts desperately, but found nothing. I looked to Carlisle, pleading silently with him to give me some guidance.

"We'll have to cross the boundary," he said quietly, staring into the trees.

Esme opened her mouth to protest, but closed it silently, wanting to find Bella as much as, if not more than, everyone else.

I could hear the concerns about starting a war echoing in her head.

"The war has already been started," I growled and flew into the werewolf protected forests of La Push.

* * *

BPOV:

I awoke from my fitful night with a pounding head and swollen eyes. I remembered where I was and let my head sink back to the floor where I had fallen asleep. I shifted my position and winced. I could feel where the edges of the dress bodice had dug into my skin as well as sharp pains in my ankles from wearing high heels too long. I kicked them off slowly, then tucked my knees to my chest. I had absolutely no reason to get up. Nothing awaited me that I wanted to face.

There was a soft knock on the door, then silence. I assumed he was waiting for me to answer.

I didn't.

I heard a slightly louder knock. This time he didn't wait for me to respond, and the door creaked open.

"Bella?" Jacob's tentative voice broke the silence.

I squeezed my eyes shut and willed him away. He took two large steps toward me and started to pick me up to move me to the bed. I jerked away violently, and sat up. Not liking being in a position of weakness, I rose from the floor and approached the washbasin.

"There's food… I thought you might be hungry." I glanced at his reflection in the mirror; he looked hopeful.

"I'm not hungry," I snapped, but my growling stomach betrayed me. I _was _hungry, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

His expression darkened. "You need to eat, Bella."

I ignored him and busied myself with scrubbing my aching knuckles. They were still raw, but the pain from yesterday had dulled somewhat. I felt his eyes linger on me for a long moment. Then, the door closed, and I was alone again. I gripped the edge of the basin with one hand and clenched my stomach with the other. I recognized this feeling; it had happened the last time Edward and I had been separated. I was no longer whole with him gone.

Determination pulsed through my veins. I would not continue my life as half a person. Jacob still cared for me, so maybe I could reason with him; he had been my best friend, after all. I gazed at myself in the mirror. I would need to make myself look sane if I was going to convince him I actually was. 'Sane' looked slightly out of reach as I examined the shell of a person staring back at me. Well, I should look lucid at the very least. I splashed some water on my puffy eyes and tried to untangle my ragged curls. I pulled my fingers through the hair on the crown of my head, then paused.

_Where is my veil?_

I turned and scanned the tiny room, but the veil was nowhere to be found. Jacob must've removed it when he put the wet cloth on my head. I furrowed my brow; I didn't like the idea of him touching it.

My wedding dress was wrinkled and horribly dirty, but a quick inspection showed no signs of permanent damage. That was a relief; Alice would kill me if it got ruined.

_Alice…_

I clenched my fists to fight off the sadness enveloping me. I loved them all so much; to think I might not see them again, especially Edward… My fists clenched tighter.

_No, I will see him again._

I paused. There were voices coming from the other room. I tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear to the gap between the door and the frame.

"What is wrong with you, Jacob?" I heard Sam Uley's angry voice echoing through the crack.

"I cannot believe you endangered us this way! Do you realize what you have done?!"

I heard muffled pacing, probably Sam.

"They can't touch us, Sam. I was invited to the wedding."

"You were not invited to take a souvenir!"

"If they come at us, it will be a violation of the treaty. On their part, not ours," Jacob said confidently.

"It is not a question of whether they will come at us but when, if they haven't started already," Sam spat back. "No wonder you haven't transformed for a while… You didn't want us to hear your foolish plan."

Jacob didn't respond.

"Do you not care about the rest of the pack?! You have put all of us at risk for some girl!"

Anger colored Jacob's voice now. "She's not just _some girl_."

Sam's pacing stopped at once. "Is that was this is about? Jacob, you can't force yourself to imprint on her. It would've already happened. Don't be stupid."

"I am perfectly aware of that, Sam." I could tell Jacob was fighting to keep himself under control. He took a heavy breath. "They were going to turn her. I can't allow that."

"That isn't our business until it happens. Only then will it be a violation of the treaty. I can't believe you were meant to lead this pack. Thank God you were too cowardly to accept the offer." I heard a door slam, then the only sound was Jacob's ragged breathing.

A crash suddenly erupted from the other side of the door, and the floor beneath me shook. I cracked the door slightly and peeked out. I saw Jacob's bare, sinewy back quaking with anger. On the floor was a pile of maroon debris, the remnants of the couch I had occupied the day before. I opened the door a little wider, trying to decide if I could make it to the exit without being caught, but it squeaked loudly and gave my position away. Jacob jerked his head around to glare at me with fiery eyes. My frightened expression made his face soften slightly.

"Hungry now?" he asked quietly.

I just stared at him, evaluating the situation. I stepped cautiously out of the room. He took this as my answer and walked to a nook just inside the front door. I glanced around. Was there no kitchen here?

He returned with a paper plate that carried a small piece of charred meat. He stopped a few feet away from me and handed me the plate.

I stared at the meat suspiciously. Was it steak? I didn't know.

"Do you want me to eat this with my hands?" I asked him sourly.

A smirk belonging to the old Jacob appeared on his face as he thrust some old utensils at me. Not seeing anything resembling a table, and no longer having a place to sit, thanks to Jacob, I settled myself on the floor and leaned against the doorframe. Jacob watched me closely as I attempted to cut the mystery meat. It was unnerving.

"I don't need an audience," I snapped.

He snorted and backed up to lean against the opposite wall.

I reluctantly put a piece of the meat in my mouth. He seemed relieved that I was eating, and it pissed me off to please him. If I hadn't planned to get into his good graces, I would've rather starved. He snorted again.

"What?" I glared at him.

"You are still so stubborn," he said.

"This isn't a high school reunion, Jake. Of course I'm the same, it hasn't been that long since you saw me last." I channeled my irritation into cutting my food. I glanced at him as I speared another bite. His eyes were hurt.

_Oops._

I had forgotten that the last time we were together I had broken his heart. I struggled to change the subject.

"Aren't you eating?" I asked as conversationally as I could.

He shook his head. "Already ate."

I took another bite and chewed thoughtfully. It didn't taste like steak.

"I have a change of clothes if you want them," he said. "They're mine from before I, you know, grew." His eyes twinkled, and I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood. It wasn't working.

I was torn about changing. I was uncomfortable in my wedding dress, but, at that moment, it was the only thing tying me to Edward. I decided to stay how I was.

"As for washing, though, you'll have to settle for that bowl in there." He pointed past me into the room. No shower, fabulous.

"Where are we anyway?" I tried to act indifferent, but I was desperate for an answer.

"Nice try," he said casually.

I shoved the plate aside. "Damn it, Jacob!" I dropped my face into my palms and tried to focus on the task at hand. This conversation wasn't going the way I hoped it would. I decided to try something different. It was a long shot though; I was a horrible liar.

I kept my face hidden in my hands so he couldn't see my eyes. "I wasn't going to go through with it."

"What?" he asked, though he knew full well what I was talking about.

I took a deep breath. "He wasn't going to change me. He backed out."

"Why?" Suspicion was evident in his tone.

"Would you want to damn someone you loved to an eternity of night?" I borrowed this from Edward's early refusal arguments.

He was quiet for a moment. "Look at me, Bella."

_Uh-oh._

I tried to make myself believe the lie, hoping my eyes wouldn't give me away, and slowly lifted my head to look at him.

He scrutinized my gaze for what felt like an eternity. "I don't believe you," he decided quietly.

Frustration consumed me, and I threw the plate containing the unwanted meal across the room. Hot tears sprang to my eyes.

"Come on, Bella, I spent a lot of time hunting that deer," Jacob huffed.

Venison. That's why it tasted different. I paused as something clicked in my head. Hunting… We were in a hunting cabin in the mountains! That accounted for that lack of furniture and modern household comforts. The fire that had burned in my mind at this new discovery quickly faded as I realized we could be anywhere north of Forks, all the way up to Canada. I got to my feet to avoid another breakdown and crossed my arms across my chest.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you would return my veil," I said sarcastically through my gritted teeth.

He froze and looked at me carefully. "I don't have your veil."

Great. I was going to be livid if it was lost. "Well then, where is it?"

We both realized the answer at the same time.

His body tensed and his eyes grew nervous.

I, on the other hand, was struggling to suppress a smile.

* * *

**R&R please  
****Thanks for reading (especially to the reviewer "me" who said she read it several times, lol)!**


	11. Ultimatum

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

**Loving the reviews! POV switches alot here, try to keep up!**

Chapter Song: "Time Is Running Out" - Muse (I know Stephenie has this on her playlist, but I love Muse and it fits)

* * *

EPOV:

I dashed frantically through the forest, weaving in and out of the trees, searching for a scent, a path, anything that would lead me to Bella. The whole forest was riddled with the scent of werewolf, each smell blending together with next. Every time I picked up a familiar trail, it would soon fade and become alien to me once more.

I could hear the others behind me, searching the grounds I had already scoured. I followed another false lead that made me double back on my family. I slammed my fists into a nearby tree trunk and let out a roar of fury as it fell to the mossy ground.

"Edward, please. We are on their territory now, let's not agitate them further," Rosalie hissed.

I turned on her. "Agitate them, Rosalie?! That's the very least I can do!" My fists tightened, then I felt my rage leave me abruptly. "Damn it, Jasper!" I turned to him and growled.

"Enough."

I whipped around at the sound of Carlisle's voice.

"Let us not forget, Edward, that it is Jacob who is solely responsible. I doubt the rest of the pack is happy with his actions."

"We are in this as much as you are and just as worried," Esme said softly. "So let's try to keep our wits about us."

At that precise moment, a cool breeze blew through the branches of the surrounding woods and everyone froze. It carried a scent we all recognized instantly.

I raced as fast as I could toward the scent; I knew that the wind could cease at any moment, and we would be back where we started. It got stronger and stronger as I ran, and I pushed my speed to the limit.

Then, the breeze stopped.

I inhaled as deeply as my lungs would allow; the scent still lingered. I looked quickly at my surroundings. I zeroed in on something white that had snagged on a fallen log.

* * *

BPOV:

My heart pounded rapidly at the prospect of hope, but I remained silent. Jacob looked absolutely shocked, like someone had just knocked the wind breath out of him. He swallowed hard and turned away from me. He busied himself with picking up the plate I had thrown across the room earlier.

"You should, um… get some rest, Bella."

I didn't move. His nervous eyes rested on mine for a second before he turned again to enter the small nook by the front door. I heard him fumble noisily for a moment, then he reentered the room.

He met my gaze again. He must've read the restrained excitement on my face because his turned a deeper shade of red, and his eyes narrowed.

"I really think you should rest now," he said evenly. I had a feeling it wasn't a suggestion.

I nodded erratically and retreated back to my little room. I leaned against the closed door and tried to organize my thoughts. I was overwhelmed by feelings of happiness at the prospect of being reunited with Edward, but I needed to think. If Jacob chose to continue with his ridiculous scheme, he would most likely want to move me somewhere farther away. I gulped. I needed to get past Jacob and get out of here, if that was the case. But how?

_Come on, think! Think!_

I turned my eye to the crack in the doorframe again. Jacob was pacing nervously; this was new. I don't think I had ever seen him nervous before. Arrogant, sad, angry, of course, but never nervous.

_Hmm… Maybe I can use this._

I opened the door slowly and stepped into the main room, trying my best to display some confidence. I was worried though; this would either work to my advantage or royally screw me over.

"Okay, look."

He looked up from the floor.

"I'm going to give you an ultimatum here," I said.

Jacob snorted. "_You're_ giving _me_ an ultimatum?"

My forehead creased. I wanted him to take me seriously. "Yes."

He crossed his arms as a smirk formed on his face. "Okay. Shoot."

"They're coming. You know it, and I know it," I said slowly. "Jacob, you are starting a war here."

His eyes tightened. "I haven't broken any rules."

"Don't give me that, Jacob!" I hissed. "You knew exactly what the consequences would be!" I was getting angry now.

"They have no right to cross the boundary line! Humans are fair game. It's not like I took one of _them_," he spat in disgust. He was shaking was anger as well.

He wasn't getting it.

"That's exactly what you did," I said quietly.

Jacob's body rippled as he shut his eyes. "Don't ever say that, Bella. You aren't like them." He was having a great deal of difficulty keeping his voice below a shout.

I stomped closer to him. "It's going to happen, Jacob!" I yelled at him.

He quaked harder now, and I knew I was pushing the limits of his restraint.

"And you knew they would come for me, how could you not?!" I clenched my fists in frustration.

Then, it hit me.

"That's what you want." I could not believe it had come to this. "You wanted to draw them into the woods, to make them break the treaty. You knew the pack would be forced to take care of them." Hot, angry tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Yeah, well, I never planned to lose the stupid veil…" He looked at me with slightly softened eyes. "I never planned to bring the fight here to you."

I grabbed his shoulders and dug my fingernails into his skin. "Think about what you're doing!" The tears were blurring my vision. "You are risking everything, Jacob, everything!" I was screaming at him now. "Sam, Quil, Paul, Leah… you are risking their lives! And the Cullens…" My arms dropped limply to my sides. "Of course," I hissed, "that is exactly the plan, isn't it?"

He looked at me with fuming eyes. "We need to leave now."

"No."

Jacob took a step toward me. His skin was shaking so violently, it looked as if it was going to jump off his bones.

"Remember my ultimatum?" I said calmly. "You take me back, and we forget this ever happened…" I stared intently into his eyes. "Or you kill me."

* * *

EPOV:

I clutched the veil tightly in my hands. The aroma of freesia emanated from every fiber; it smelled exactly like her. My stone heart ached; I felt like half of my very being was missing.

"Edward," Alice's voice brought me back to the present.

I could smell Jacob on the veil, too, and I tried to identify the differences between his scent and that of the rest of the pack. I sniffed the air again, then turned to my family.

"This way."

* * *

BPOV:

Jacob froze and stared at me with revulsion.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella."

"I am dead serious… If you'll pardon the expression." I was a little smug now, as I saw how my words had affected him.

His face was suddenly inches from mine. "That... is... not... funny."

"You are planning to take away everything I love. I won't live without him. Any of them. You leave me no choice."

His eyes were ablaze.

"I will provoke you, Jacob. I know which buttons to push," I threatened.

Jacob backed up a step. "I would never do that. Ever. You know me."

"Do I? The Jacob I know would never endanger the people he loved. That Jacob would never endanger my family."

I hit a nerve with that last statement.

"THEY AREN'T YOUR FAMILY!" he yelled at me as if he were in pain.

I stared at him in disbelief. "This isn't you. You are better than this. I don't know who you are, but you aren't my Jacob."

"No, I'm not. You made that quite clear, remember?" he retorted.

His words made me wince with guilt, but I ignored them. "So what's it gonna be, Jacob?"

His eyes turned suddenly fierce, and he leapt at me, his fists closing tightly around my wrists.

* * *

**  
R&R please! LOVE LOVE LOVE my reviewers, you guys are awesome!**


	12. In Pursuit

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "You Talk Way Too Much" - The Strokes

* * *

BPOV:

My body became rigid, and I squeezed my eyes shut, not knowing exactly what was happening. Part of me knew deep down that Jacob would never hurt me, but uncertainty coursed through my veins. I had never seen him so angry. I had pushed him far beyond his control, and I didn't know how strongly his werewolf instincts would react. I prepared myself for the worst and let my consciousness leave the present. I drifted to the past, back to the airport, high school, the meadow, my room… I was overwhelmed by the memories that drowned my senses as each place flashed in my mind's eye; memories of my friends, my family, and Edward.

My skin burned, and heat thickened the air in my lungs, suffocating me. I assumed it was a signal for the end of my existence. So Jacob had chosen then. He had meant what he said about preferring my mortal death to my immortal life. It was strange how I felt no pain, though. I opened my eyes to observe my purgatory, but only saw a blur of green.

_Keep it together, Bella. I'm coming._

Edward's voice jolted me from my meditative state. His imagined voice was always there in my head when, physically, he wasn't.

I was alive. I tried to sit up straight but found myself restrained by Jacob once again. We were on the move; Jacob was racing through the soggy forest with little effort. I was crushed to his chest (at least that accounted for the overpowering heat) with my hands twisted up in front of me. I tried to wriggle them free, but they were pinned. I didn't even try to peek up at Jacob. I didn't care what he was feeling now; this wasn't about bargaining anymore. I could see he wasn't going to give me what I wanted.

I watched the trees whiz past us one by one and quickly fade out of sight. I braced my shoulders and gave my arms a strong yank. They stayed put. I had to leave Edward something carrying my scent to follow; shreds of my dress would be best. I tried to free my hands again, but it was useless. My stomach churned as I realized there was only one option.

I bit down on my lip. I forced my teeth to clamp down harder and harder on the tender skin until the gentle ache evolved into a stinging pain. I felt dizzy as that salty, rusty smell that I loathed filled my nostrils. I fought against my nausea with immeasurable difficulty and bit down even harder on my throbbing bottom lip. I felt warm blood trickle down my chin and curved my head around Jacob's arm to let it drip to the forest floor.

* * *

EPOV:

I tore the front door of the old cabin off its hinges and threw it over my shoulder. A quick sniff of the stale air told me they were not inside.

_It's still strong, Edward. We aren't far behind._

Alice's thoughts kept my simmering desperation from spilling over. I nodded to my siblings, and we followed Carlisle and Esme, who had resumed tracking Bella and Jacob's trail through the fog. I flew through the mist and was just catching up to them when everyone froze. The scent was much too strong for the bodies to be so far away.

Carlisle avoided my gaze and turned to Rosalie. "I think it would be best if you and Jasper returned to the cabin in case they come back. He doesn't need to be tempted while we are on werewolf land."

I knew at once what he meant. My eyes searched the ground at his feet, and I saw a single crimson droplet soaked into the mossy ground. I careened forward as the treetops shook with my furious roar.

* * *

BPOV:

My heart raced when I heard the cry echoing through the mountains. They were getting closer now. I felt Jacob tense and his pace pick up. Though my lip ached, I kneaded it with my tongue, forcing more and more blood to flow from my self-inflicted wound.

* * *

EPOV:

I ran faster than I ever thought possible. Bella was in the hands of a werewolf somewhere, bleeding. The thought of Bella in pain was more than I could tolerate. The drops of blood became more plentiful as I ran. My anger swelled with each red dot I passed, and Jasper's absence forced me to shoulder the full weight of my fury.

My sensitive ears told me that my family was right on my heels, and my mind was bombarded with comforting thoughts from their own. Their attempts at optimism were feeble and barely disguised their true feelings of worry, anger, and doubt.

Even though Bella's scent was growing stronger, the scent of werewolf was suddenly enveloping it.

"Wait." Carlisle's quiet voice stopped us all in our tracks.

I dropped back to Alice's side as I heard the thundering footsteps. We crouched down, and I heard a low growl escape Emmett's lips as we found ourselves face to face with a pack of werewolves.

* * *

**R&R please**


	13. Taking Back Control

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "Taking Back Control" - Sparta

* * *

EPOV:

"Hello, Sam." Carlisle's voice was much too cordial to fit the present situation. He then turned to me.

"He greets you as well," I hissed through my clenched teeth. There was no time for this; Bella was hurt, and I wasting time being a translator.

"I assume you are aware of the situation," Carlisle said.

The hulking canine at the head of the pack nodded.

"So you know our intent here is not to encroach on your territory, but to take back what was stolen from us."

I turned to the werewolf. He nodded again. "He wants us to know he was unaware of Jacob's plans and does not have reason to defend them." I said. My jaw tightened. "But, he does have reason to protect their land as well as any and all members of the pack." I crossed my arms to restrain myself and my growing fury.

"I understand completely," Carlisle said. "But Bella's blood has been shed, and we also have reason to protect OUR own."

Sam's husky outline shrank as he changed out of his werewolf form; his fur retracted, and his muscles wound themselves back around his human skeleton. The rest of the pack maintained their wolf features.

"Jacob would never hurt Bella," he said.

"Well someone did! She is hurt, and we are wasting our time!" I roared. I took a step forward, ignoring the defensive growls that rumbled from the pack. My fierce eyes could have burned a hole in Sam's somber face. "I don't care about the treaty… I WILL find her. With or without your help."

Sam scrutinized my expression carefully, then turned to Carlisle. "I have decided to look the other way when it comes to the treaty. You helped us out a lot in June, and we owe you that much. However…" he turned back to me. "I need your word that you won't hurt Jacob."

Another roar was building in my chest.

"You have my word," Carlisle said quietly.

I whipped my head around to glare at him.

"We won't hurt him if we find Bella in one piece. That's the best I can do," he finished.

Sam contemplated this. "Fair enough." He looked worried despite his agreement. He addressed the pack, but kept his eyes on me. "Paul. Leah. Go north to the cliffs and follow the coastline to the mountains. I want Seth and Embry to start from the boundary line and move east. The rest of us will comb the woods from here."

Sam's eyes flickered away from mine as Carlisle spoke again. "Jasper and Rosalie are at a cabin about a mile back."

Sam nodded in understanding. "There'll be no trouble." He glanced at me quickly before turning to face his pack. They trampled off into the woods, and I could see Sam's back quivering, preparing to phase, as he ran after them.

I could feel my icy heart twisting in torment as my gaze fell again on the trail of blood. Images of Bella, beaten and broken, lying at James's feet in the ballet studio flashed through my mind. I couldn't bear it if she was hurt, not again. I squeezed my eyes shut and dug my fists into my sides.

"I don't think I can keep that promise, Carlisle." I fought to keep my voice even.

I heard Emmett's thoughts intrude on my own. _Me neither, brother._

* * *

BPOV:

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I bit harder on the rabidly swelling gash in my bottom lip. I blinked, and one heavy teardrop fell on Jacob's arm. I froze when I felt him look down at me and gasp. He stopped running.

"Damn it, Bella!" I turned slowly to meet his eyes. He looked pained and furious at the same time. "What did you do?"

I didn't say anything. What could I say?

His eyes widened as a tiny drop of blood trickled down my chin. "What did you do?!" he asked more loudly. Suddenly, his head snapped toward the trees, reacting to a sound I couldn't hear.

A short moment passed, and some nearby leaves crunched. Whatever had caught his attention was now close enough for me to hear. I tried to twist around in Jacob's arms to look, but I was still locked in his grip.

"This has gone too far, Jacob."

I felt Jacob's chest rumble against me.

"I mean it, Jake. They are looking for her," the voice said.

My heart raced. They were close, then!

"Come on, man. Sam's nearby, and he'll know where you are as soon as I change back." The voice became more somber. "Please Jake… How far are you gonna take this?"

Jacob took a very slow, deep breath. "She'd be worse than dead, Quil. What if it was Claire? You'd do the same thing."

A tense silence fell and hovered for an immeasurable amount of time. I desperately wanted to see Quil's face.

"I would have to do what was best for her. I don't know where that would leave me," Quil admitted quietly.

This was infuriating. I was being discussed like a piece of property; I had no say in my own future. Until now.

I was determined to regain control. I took advantage of the distraction Quil created and squirmed violently, trying my hardest to wrench myself out of Jacob's arms. It worked! Jacob was so deep in thought, I was able to free myself before he employed his full strength on me.

I bolted as soon as my feet touched the ground. Jacob had obviously been caught off guard by what I was doing because he didn't move for at least a second after my escape began.

"EDWARD!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. He had to be close by.

"Bella, no!" Jacob yelled after me.

I pushed my legs harder, I was going to have to book it to keep him from catching up with me. I ran as fast as humanly possible, ignoring the twigs and leaves that scratched my bare feet. I looked around me as I ran, trying to discern what direction I might be headed in, but everything looked the same to me. My lack of coordination proved to be my biggest enemy, as usual, when my right foot caught under a tree root, and I slammed hard into the marshy earth. I got to my feet with little grace and took off running. Suddenly, I was yanked backwards and fell to the ground again. I looked back at the root, and saw that my train had been caught on it. I pulled on the silken fabric with all my might and, even in this time of desperation, felt a pang of guilt for ripping such a beautiful dress; I could almost hear Alice gasping in horror as the fabric tore. I was free. I took off again, this time holding my train up to my thighs to avoid another snag. I could hear Jacob pleading for me to stop, and his cries were getting closer. My heart sank as I realized that I would never be able to outrun him.

* * *

**R&R please! Tell me what you think!**


	14. The Homestretch

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "Come On" - Ben Jelen

* * *

EPOV:

Alice and Emmett were keeping up with me, though I had no idea how. I didn't know if Bella's cry was from desperation or agony, but it didn't really matter which; all that mattered was that she needed me. I was moving so fast, my feet were barely making contact with the ground. I was getting closer now; Bella's scent was strong. I concentrated on the thoughts of Carlisle and Esme and gathered that they were approaching the trail from the side in case Bella's course changed. She must be lost; the trail we were following was completely erratic. Jacob's scent was growing stronger too, and I noticed that Emmett was veering ever so slightly off our course toward it. That suited me fine; there was time to deal with the dog later, but Bella was my number one priority. I noticed something white on the ground in the distance, and, as we drew nearer, I saw it was a shred of Bella's dress.

"BELLA!"

* * *

BPOV:

I froze. My heart was threatening to pound its way out of my chest. Jacob's pleading had ceased, and I guessed, or hoped rather, that Quil had caught up with him. But I could swear that someone was calling my name… and I could swear it was Edward.

"EDWARD!" I screamed. I turned in circles, hoping to see him somewhere in the mist and praying that he wouldn't be a hallucination.

"BELLA!"

I hadn't imagined it. He was calling me! I heard his voice and ran toward it with renewed energy.

"EDWARD!" I screamed as tears welled in my eyes.

Then I saw him. Edward emerged from the fog, still wearing his tuxedo, with Alice on his heels, running toward me with relief covering each inch of his angelic face. He closed the space between us in seconds and wrapped his arms around my waist. Then, he fell to his knees and pulled me into his lap. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I threw my arms around his neck and clung to him tightly.

"Oh Bella, I'm so sorry. I should've never left your side. I swear it'll never happen again. I love you so much, Bella." Edward clutched me tighter to his chest, but he was just as gentle as ever. "Are you hurt?" he asked with an undertone of panic.

I tried to speak, but my throat seemed to be swelled shut. Edward pulled me back just inches from his face to examine me. His eyes grew furious as they moved over my lip.

"You are hurt!" He gave a mighty roar of anguish. "That filthy dog hurt you, and it's my fault," he said as his eyes grew pained.

It then occurred to me how horrible I must look with the gash in my lip and blood pouring down my chin and neck. He kissed my forehead lightly, then noticed I was shivering. Without a word, he removed his jacket and placed it around my shoulders before pulling me back to his chest.

"I'm so sorry I let him hurt you," he said quietly, his voice agonized.

I shook my head and cleared my thickened throat. "He didn't," I said in a raspy voice.

Edward pulled back to look at me questioningly.

"I did it… I had to leave a trail… I wasn't sure if you'd ever find me otherwise." My voice broke, and I was wracked with sobs again.

"Oh, Bella…" He leaned down and kissed the far corner of my mouth, to avoid angering the wound that was slowly clotting on my lower lip. He pulled the sleeve of his dress shirt over his hand, wiped the blood from my chin and neck, then very carefully dabbed the wound itself. I smiled; he was so gentle with me. I leaned up to press my lips softly to his and winced as the light pressure sent a shooting pain through the cut. He ran his fingertips lightly down my cheek and smiled tenderly.

"Later," he promised.

I huddled closer to him and let my eyes close in contentment as he stroked my hair. I was incalculably happy to be with him again.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you, too."

"He's with the rest of them now," Emmett said quietly after a few moments.

I opened my eyes and realized that he had appeared at Alice's side. Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, and Rosalie had appeared as well, all still dressed in their wedding attire. Jasper stood farther away than the others; I guessed it was because of my lip and the numerous scratches on my bare feet.

"We'll deal with him later," Carlisle said.

Esme finished his thought, "Right now let's just get Bella home."

Edward scooped me effortlessly into his arms and started the long trek back to the Cullen house.

* * *

I didn't remember most of the trip home; I drifted in and out, not falling asleep but not staying awake either. I do remember telling Edward that I loved him several times and feeling his cold lips touch every part of my face. It seemed like only seconds later that we were crossing the threshold into the Cullens' spacious living room; it was still draped in satin ribbons with bouquets of freesia covering every tabletop. I closed my weary eyes to avoid revisiting our disastrous wedding day. We ascended the steps before fatigue overwhelmed me. I vaguely recall being helped me out of my wedding dress and into some type of sleepwear in Alice's closet, while Edward stood in the doorway with his back turned; he gave me my privacy but had refused to leave me.

The last thing I remember was my head hitting a pillow.

I reluctantly opened my heavy lids to peer around Edward's bedroom. It was dark outside but not yet night. I stretched and quickly realized just how stiff my muscles were. I felt cold arms tighten around me, and I rolled over in them to tuck my head under Edward's chin. I inhaled deeply, and his smell intoxicated me.

"You can't imagine how much I missed this," I breathed. I felt him kiss the crown of my head.

He sighed. "I'm impossibly sure that I can."

He placed two fingers under my chin and tipped my head up to meet his. He pressed his lips again to the corner of my mouth, and I silently cursed myself for biting the gash in the most inconvenient of places. He grazed his nose up and down my cheekbone, breathing in my scent as he went. My heart rate sped up, and he chuckled softly.

"You can't imagine how much I missed _that_," he murmured.

I laid one hand on my thumping chest. "Just as excitable as ever. How embarrassing." I rolled my eyes as a hot blush colored my cheeks.

Edward removed my hand from my chest and placed it against his own. He held his face half an inch from mine. Even in the dim light, I could see torment swirling in his eyes.

"I am so sorry, Bella. I should have been with you… Especially when I knew there was a chance he would show up… Please forgive me."

I kissed him gently, ignoring the sting in my lip, and laid my hand on his cheek.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," I said quietly. "Don't you dare think this is your fault." My words were harsh, but my voice was soft.

I kissed him again when he opened his mouth to protest. "I'm here now. Let's leave it at that."

His eyes burned with confliction.

I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Please, Edward… I just want to forget." I ducked my head under his chin again. "Please." I was begging now.

He sighed. "I'm not sure I can forget, Bella," he murmured.

I relaxed somewhat because I knew that would be the end of the conversation for the night. I swallowed, and my tongue felt thick in my mouth. Surely Alice had a toothbrush for me. I started to sit up, and Edward tensed.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything more about it." He obviously did not understand the motivation behind my efforts to leave.

"No, no, no… I just need a human moment," I said quickly.

He remained tense, so I turned my face to him. When he saw it was free of anger, his face relaxed, and he loosened his arms.

"I'll be right back." I gave him a quick kiss.

Because of my stiff muscles and my cut-up feet, walking was quite a chore. I winced as I hobbled to the door, hoping Edward didn't notice, and stumbled into the brightly lit hallway. I had barely taken two steps toward the bathroom door before Alice raced up the stairs and squeezed me into a tight hug.

"I missed you so much, Bella!" I grunted involuntarily as she hugged me tighter. She let go but held my hands as she continued. "Don't you worry about a thing. I planned the perfect wedding once, and I can do it again!" She was absolutely glowing. Her face became suddenly hopeful. "Shopping tomorrow?!"

"I don't know, Alice. I'm kind of worn out-" I began.

"Never mind," she interrupted as her face fell only slightly. "I can see Edward will want you to himself for a while. Soon, though, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer, as usual. She kissed my cheek and danced away down the stairs.

I walked to the bathroom and pulled the door shut behind me. I spotted my toothbrush among some other toiletries in a small bag on the edge of the sink. I examined my reflection in the mirror as I brushed my teeth. My once lovely, curly up-do was now a tangled, greasy mess. At least Alice had given me some nice pajamas; she had dressed me in a plain, blue silk top with matching bottoms… I was glad it was nothing too fancy. I rinsed out my toothbrush, then began picking leaves and twigs out of the bird's nest that now sat where my hair used to be. I tried to run my fingers through the limp locks but discovered very quickly that I was making zero headway. I sighed. The only thing that was going to detangle these knots was a steaming hot shower.

I quickly undressed and hopped in the shower. After several minutes of strenuous combing, I was able to get my mahogany hair relatively tangle free. I toweled off and slipped back into the silk pajamas. I had just opened the door and turned to make my way back to Edward's room when two wintry arms caught me from behind. I felt Edward's icy breath on my ear.

"I thought you said you'd be right back," he teased.

"You know, considering you have an infinite lifespan, I would think you'd be a little more patient," I said.

He effortlessly spun me around to face him. "Just so you know," he murmured as his lips grazed my jaw, tantalizing me. "When it comes to being away from you, my patience will be extremely limited."

Every part of me melted as he moved his lips down my neck. "I think I can live with that," I said breathlessly.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he stiffened.

"What? Is it my lip?" I asked. "I'm sorry, I guess I shouldn't be this close when it's-"

"No, no, Bella. It's just… We need to go downstairs," he said.

I was confused. "Why?"

His stone face was unreadable. "They're deciding what to do about Jacob."

* * *

**R&R please**


	15. A Conflict of Interests

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

**I know this is going to be a controversial chapter, but no flames, please!**

Chapter Song: "I'll Let You Live" - Taking Back Sunday

* * *

I clutched Edward's hand much tighter then necessary on the way down the stairs. He walked slowly to match my pace and kept his eyes on me the whole time. All the Cullens were sitting in the spacious living room, trying entirely too hard to seem at ease. Alice and Esme smiled a little too brightly at me when Edward and I took our seats on the sofa, and I could tell they were going to broach the subject very carefully.

"I already know," I said quietly as I molded myself to Edward's side.

They glanced at each other so quickly I could've imagined it, then turned to Carlisle with their feigned grins fading slowly. Emmett sat with Rosalie on the sofa across from us with his muscular arms folded tightly across his chest, staring blankly at the coffee table between us. I felt Jasper's eyes on me and was not surprised when my mood suddenly grew more pleasant. I smiled at him gratefully, then turned my attention to the matching wingchairs where Carlisle and Esme sat.

"Well, Bella, there has been a suggestion," Carlisle's eyes flickered toward Emmett, "of… termination."

Beside me, Edward shifted slightly, and his shoulders tensed. Everyone's eyes were on me now, gauging my reaction. My face remained composed. This "suggestion" didn't surprise me in the least; in fact, I had expected it.

"Okay…" I said calmly. "Do we have a plan B?"

"This isn't a joke, Bella," Edward said calmly.

"I'm not laughing, Edward." I looked up into his eyes. They were scorching, but I knew it wasn't me he was angry with.

He stared intently at me. "We don't have one."

I broke eye contact with him and stared at the wall. I felt tears of frustration burning in my eyes. "They'll kill you." I tried my best to keep my voice even. "The pack… they won't accept that and… Jacob…" My voice cracked. Edward pulled me closer and threw Jasper a meaningful look. I shook the tears away as serenity swept through me again.

Esme's gentle voice broke the silence. "We want to know how you feel, Bella. What do you think we should do?" she asked softly.

"I… I don't know." And I truly didn't. The Jacob I loved was gone, but the Jacob who kidnapped me… Of course I was angry, I was furious, but did I want him dead? Did I really hate him that much? I shook my head fiercely. Of course not. I couldn't wish that on someone like Jacob. If he had hurt Edward or another member of the Cullen family, _my_ family, then… maybe. But not for this. Not for me. Besides, the repercussions from the pack would be… I shook my head again. I couldn't bear to think of it.

"Bella?" Edward whispered. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, and a single tear rolled down my cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb, then rested his hand on the side of my face. "What are you thinking?"

"No. It will only make things worse… for both sides," I said. I looked around. No one but Esme seemed even a little pleased with my statement. Both Edward and Emmett looked downright furious, though Edward was a little better at concealing his reaction for my sake. He had most likely known I would feel that way.

"Then we need to discuss an alternative," Carlisle said.

"Are you kidding me?!" Emmett exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.

Rosalie reached for his hand, now curled in a tight fist. "Emmett…"

He jerked it away from her. "No, Rose. I'm not gonna sit here and discuss letting that filthy dog live!"

"They come after you Emmett… all of you," I said quietly.

"He came into our house and stole you, Bella! Stole you! On your wedding day!" His angry voice was now a shout. "Doesn't that matter to you?"

His accusation made me wince. "Of course…"

"Emmett," Edward interrupted in a hard voice.

"He ruined it! All of it! And what that did to Edward?!" His fists clenched tighter. "You don't mess with my family! He better enjoy the time he has left because he's dead, Bella!"

Edward sprang to his feet, prompting Carlisle and Jasper to do the same. "Don't you speak to her like that, Emmett." he growled.

"And what about you, Edward?! You want his blood more than I do! Don't you remember that day?! The search?! Finding her blood on the trail and thinking that she was DEAD?!"

"Enough!" Carlisle's voice echoed through the room and quieted everyone instantly. Edward was frozen in place, glaring at Emmett with his eyes ablaze. Jasper rested one hand lightly on Emmett's shoulder, but he shook it off. He kicked the coffee table out of the way, and it slammed against the side wall with a loud bang. He approached Edward and stopped when he was barely a foot away.

"That mongrel deserves to be sent to hell, where he belongs. I know it, and you know it," he said to Edward quietly. Emmett charged out of the room, and I heard a door slam. Rosalie raced after him. Edward was silent.

I looked around the room. Carlisle and Jasper remained standing, exchanging troubled looks. Esme looked out the window while slowly rubbing her hands up and down her forearms. Alice stared at Edward, no doubt conversing with him through her thoughts. I reached for Edward's hand; it was as still and hard as stone as I wound my fingers through his. He took one long, slow breath before he reacted, his hand locking around mine.

"Bella." He tugged lightly on my hand, and I stood up slowly. I took a peek at Alice's face, and I relaxed slightly when it seemed less troubled than it was before.

Without another word, Edward lead me from the room. We passed by the stairs, through the kitchen, and out the side door leading to the garage. He shut the door behind us in one swift movement and guided me through the rows of their extensive car collection until we reached the Volvo. Wordlessly, he opened the passenger door, set me inside, and was in the driver's seat in seconds. Edward's hands gripped the steering wheel, but he hadn't turned the ignition. His eyes were burning with conflict, and the steering wheel was nearing its breaking point as his knuckles turned even whiter.

I waited. I peered around the garage and absentmindedly noticed that Emmett's Jeep was missing.

"Do you want him dead, Bella?" he asked evenly.

I knotted my fingers together in my lap, and my stomach churned.

"I don't think I do." I looked at Edward cautiously. His expression remained the same.

"I _know _you don't." He removed one hand from the steering wheel and used it to take my tangled fingers into his. "You're too good for that." He used his other hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, so I gave his hand a squeeze. Suddenly his face was inches from mine, his hands on either side of my face. "If that's what you want, we'll find an alternative. Just know that this won't be easy for them… or me. Emmett was right, Bella. I _do _want his blood." He examined my face carefully, searching for an emotion and probably expecting anger.

But I wasn't angry. I knew how he felt, and I trusted him with all my heart to keep his promise to me. I nodded slowly in his gentle grip, and his creased forehead smoothed somewhat. He kissed me very softly, again avoiding my lower lip.

"Okay," he said. "Let's go get Emmett."

* * *

**R&R please**


	16. Ready Or Not

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

**To amobutterfly- I'm so glad you're enjoying my music selections!**

Chapter Song: "Change Your Mind" - The All-American Rejects

* * *

Edward had a harder time navigating his way through the woods to the baseball field with the Volvo than he had with Emmett's jeep. Still, he insisted on speeding, so we bumped and rattled along the uneven path in silence, Edward's left hand on the steering wheel and his right hand in mine.

The Volvo slowed as we approached Emmett's jeep. As Edward turned off the engine, I heard an earsplitting crack come from the direction of the clearing. He bolted to my side of the car, opened the door, and helped me onto his back. I closed my eyes and clenched my arms around his neck as tight as I could.

"Ready?" Edward asked.

I sighed and braced myself against his back. "Ready."

After a few jarring minutes, the clearing that served as a makeshift baseball field for the Cullens came into view. I squinted and could just barely make out Emmett, who was standing over the home plate next to a small pile of baseballs. His broad shoulders flexed as his arms swung the bat as fast as lightning, making audible contact with another ball.

We jogged toward Emmett as quickly as Edward could manage. As we drew closer, I noticed Rosalie standing with her arms crossed near the edge of the trees, a scowl plastered on her beautiful face. Edward pulled me from his back and set me gently on the ground. I turned my attention back to Emmett. He snatched a baseball from the mound at his feet, tossed it lightly into the air, and hit it with another loud crack. The baseball was obliterated on contact, the tattered fragments landing at various spots all over the clearing.

"Emmett?" I said meekly.

He didn't respond. He reached for another ball. I let go of Edward's hand and walked closer to him.

"Believe me, Emmett. No one is madder at Jacob than me. But… he was my friend and…" I didn't really know how to continue. I turned to Edward. He smiled weakly at me and gestured for me to continue.

"Please don't be angry with me," I said.

Emmett dropped his arms to his sides, and his chest heaved slowly. "I'm not mad at you, Bella," he said quietly.

"We'll talk to the pack, Emmett," Rosalie said from behind me.

His fists clenched. "That isn't enough," he growled. He turned around to face me. "The punishment should fit the crime. _Talking _isn't gonna do anything."

Edward was at my side in a flash. "We'll figure it out. Things don't have to be so black and white. There are other ways"

Emmett glared at him, looking thoroughly unconvinced.

"We will get even. I swear it." Edward's voice was fierce.

I took Emmett's hand and wrapped it in both of mine. His eyes slid to the ground. "Please understand, Emmett. I can live without Jacob, that isn't the issue. It's the repercussions…" I felt my throat thicken. "I couldn't bear it if they came after you. It's all of you that I can't live without."

Emmett's eyes shifted up to meet mine. His expression softened a little. "They could never take me," he said, a sly grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Though Emmett said this as a joke, I knew he meant it whole-heartedly, and

I shuddered just thinking about the implications.

Before I knew it, Emmett had his arms around me, crushing the air out of

my lungs in a giant bear hug. He finally released me, and bent down to make his face level with mine. His eyes twinkled mischievously.

"How about some baseball, Bella?"

My eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Baseball. You know, it's a sport where you take this bat-"

I rolled my eyes. It seemed Emmett was back to normal. "I know what it is, Emmett."

"Then what's the problem?" he asked innocently.

I looked up at Edward, but he had his eyes trained on Rosalie. "We should probably head back," he said.

Emmett reached out and tousled my hair. "Another time, then!" he shouted as he took off toward the trees. I turned to Rosalie.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked quietly.

She nodded, though her face was blank. "See you at home." Then, she bolted for the forest after Emmett.

"Is she really?" I asked.

Edward was still looking at the spot at the edge of the field where they had both disappeared. "She's worried about Emmett."

"Well, that was an abrupt change of heart that he had."

His eyes locked onto mine. "I'm not entirely convinced that he'll leave it alone."

"You couldn't read his mind?"

"He was blocking me out."

I gulped. This unsettled me.

He reached out and touched my furrowed brow. "Don't worry, though. I'll keep tabs on him, and Rosalie isn't going to let him out of her sight. It will be fine." He pulled me onto his back with one hand. "Ready, love?"

I closed my eyes again. "As ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

**R&R please  
Sorry so short!**


	17. Decisions

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

**I know I've been sloughing off lately, and for that I apologize. I've just started a new job at the hospital, and its been taking up all my time.  
Don't worry, I have the next chapter outlined, and the action WILL pick up!**

Chapter Song: "Believe" - The Bravery

* * *

Edward was taking his time driving back from the clearing; the thin, red needle of the Volvo's speedometer hadn't wavered past sixty-five miles per hour the entire trip. This surprised me since Edward had just told me he was going to keep track of Emmett. My best guess for this was that the rest of the Cullens were discussing Jacob, and Edward was hoping to limit my involvement in the conversation. Not that I minded very much. Honestly, the whole situation exhausted me. Besides that, whatever plan they decided on would inevitably involve my being stowed safely away on the sidelines, and I was in no mood to feel useless.

"This is killing you, isn't it?" I asked.

"What?"

"The speed… or lack there-of."

"Technically, fifty-five is the legal limit for rural roads, Bella. I don't see any reason to go any faster than I already am," Edward said.

I shot him a look.

"Yes, it is killing me," he said with a sigh.

We were quiet for a while, listening to the raindrops pattering on the windshield.

"Is it going okay?" I finally asked.

He gazed down at me carefully. He was clearly not surprised that I had figured it out.

"Fine, I suppose." He turned to face the road again.

"You suppose?" I repeated.

"It's complicated. Besides killing-" I flinched, and he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Besides that, there isn't much we can do." He continued to stare out the windshield in silence, and I joined him.

The Cullen house was quiet when Edward and I arrived. He tugged me through the house to the dining room, where everyone was seated at the large table I had once used to take a vote on my immortality. As I sat down, I looked around the table to examine everyone's faces and was pleased to find that no one looked particularly unhappy.

"So, what's the verdict?" I asked when no one spoke.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "We are going to meet with Sam and the pack as a whole. They must be having similar difficulty deciding on their next move. We'll discuss the situation with them before making any other plans."

"As a whole?" I swallowed hard. "Meaning…"

Edward teeth snapped together, and his grip on my hand tightened. Rosalie's eyes flickered toward Emmett, but he just stared at Carlisle, his expression blank.

"Sam wants him there so he can explain himself," Carlisle said quietly.

A snarl rumbled in Edward's chest. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. After a few moments, the snarl grew quiet.

"There is nothing to explain. Nothing he can say will justify his actions. We don't need to put her through that," he said through clenched teeth.

"You're right, Edward. I don't want to give him a chance to speak either, but we aren't going to do anything until we talk with Sam." Carlisle's eyes moved around the table and stopped on Emmett. "Nothing."

Emmett leaned back in his chair, his face still showing no sign of emotion.

Carlisle sighed. "We're meeting them at the clearing tomorrow evening." He stood up and strode from the room to make it clear that the discussion was over.

Though I had only woken up a couple hours ago, I felt suddenly spent. The stress of the situation was becoming too much for me to handle. My head swam with all the impending problems: seeing Jacob tomorrow, hoping Emmett and Edward could restrain themselves from killing him, and, ultimately, the outcome of the meeting. I rested my head on the back of my chair while the rest of the Cullens filed out to resume whatever activities they were using to keep busy. I watched Edward out of the corner of my eye and waited for him to calm down. Eventually his jaw unclenched, and his eyes opened. He rose to his feet without a word, and I followed him up the stairs.

I silently crawled back into Edward's unmade bed and waited for him to shift his form around mine. Almost immediately, he was beside me. He held me tightly to his chest and let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't like the idea of him being there," he whispered.

"I know. I'm sorry you have to see him again," I said.

His stone arms pushed me back a little, and he examined my face.

"Me?" He looked slightly shocked. "Bella, I meant for you. I don't want you to have to face him, to have to relive all that." He pulled me back to his chest and buried his face in my hair. "You silly girl."

I slid myself up toward the head of the bed until I could wrap my arms around his neck. I felt tears threatening to materialize in my eyes and squeezed them tightly shut. These days, I felt like a war was constantly raging between myself and my tears. I had cried more in the past month than most people do in a lifetime, and I was sick of it.

"I don't want to see him," I whispered to Edward as my voice cracked.

He reached one hand up to stroke my hair. A single tear rolled down my cheek; apparently my tear ducts had won the battle yet again.

"What will I say? What will he say? I don't want to do this!" I broke down into shaking sobs.

"You know you don't have to," Edward said quietly.

I shook my head. "I do, though. I want a say in what happens. And I want to tell him what I think."

"Alice could speak on your behalf."

My sobs had quieted, and I wiped the remaining tears from my face. "No. I need to be there, I know I do. I just… ugh." I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes in frustration. Edward pulled my hands from my eyes and folded them under my chin. He wound his arms back around me and pressed his cool forehead to mine.

"I'll be there, holding your hand the entire time. No worries, Bella. Go to sleep." He kissed me gently and adjusted the pillow under my head.

I was exhausted, and I tried my best to fall asleep. However, every time I closed my eyes, I saw blood slowly flooding the forest floor, pooling around the remains of a lion and a wolf.

* * *

**R&R please! Stick with me, guys! Thanks again for reading!**


	18. Hitting the Fan

STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Chapter Song: "Returning The Smile You Have Had From The Start" - Emery (starts out scream-y, but stick with it!)

* * *

I always wondered what exactly triggered déjà vu. Familiar sights would be the most obvious guess, but smell is supposedly the sense that is most closely connected to one's memory. Standing in the misty forest, I was beginning to realize that there isn't just a single trigger; it's the overall condition of your body when all the senses are combined that makes you relive your past.

I felt the moistness of the fog on my skin and could smell the dampness of the vegetation. The hairs on my arms prickled as I noticed the many fallen logs that had tripped me up during my escape, and, as the currently human pack of werewolves came jogging into view, I could almost taste the blood from the gash on my lower lip.

I felt Edward squeeze my hand as we watched them multiply and assemble themselves along the boundary line. My eyes jumped frantically from face to face around the pack before us, searching for someone but not wanting to find him. I squeezed Edward's hand right back as Jacob strolled casually into view. Involuntary shivers ran down my spine, though I wasn't cold at all.

Carlisle cleared his throat, and the low growls coming from the Cullen siblings ceased.

"It's good to see you again," Sam said, though his face expressed a very different feeling.

Emmett snorted in response, his face disgusted.

Carlisle simply nodded, keeping his eyes trained on Jacob.

Jacob was leaning against the trunk of the nearest tree, looking completely indifferent and studying the forest floor. As if he felt my eyes burning into his skin, his head snapped up, and he stared back at me. I swallowed hard and tried to turn my attention back to Sam and Carlisle. Edward released my hand and looped his arm around my waist instead.

"So," Carlisle began. "It seems we have a decision to make."

Sam's eyes glazed over. "As a pack, we have decided to…" He cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "We have decided that the best thing to do is to send Jacob away."

"How long?" Alice asked quietly.

Several of the faces across from us hardened.

"Indefinitely." Sam's face remained expressionless.

Emmett grunted. "That's it? Your solution is to 'send him away'?"

"Emmett," Rosalie cautioned.

"And what's going to stop him from coming back?!" Emmett exclaimed.

Sam exhaled loudly and closed his eyes. "Jacob has agreed to remain phased so we can keep tabs on him."

"Right, because you did such a good job of monitoring him before!"

"That's enough, Emmett," Carlisle said sternly.

"He's right," Edward said. "Nothing stopped Jacob from coming back and taking…" He paused and threw a fleeting glance down at me. "I'm sorry, Sam, but that's not good enough."

Sam clenched his fists and glared at Edward. "What exactly do you suggest we do?" he growled.

"I suggest you take responsibility for the actions of your pack, and you take the necessary steps to make absolutely sure that they never happen again!" Edward yelled at him.

Sam took a step forward while both sides assumed defensive stances.

Carlisle raised his hands. "Please! Sam, I can assure you that we aren't looking for trouble. This is a volatile situation that no one is happy to discuss, but our tempers are in check."

Sam stepped back and motioned for the others to relax, but his eyes followed Edward's every move. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett's arms flexing, and I almost wanted to warn Sam that Edward was the least of his problems. I knew Edward was seething with rage, but I also knew he would keep his promise to me. Emmett, however, was under no such obligation.

Everyone was silent. I took a breath and turned slowly towards Jacob, only to find his eyes boring into mine. I shuddered and huddled closer to Edward. He held me tighter.

"What stops him from returning?" Edward asked through clenched teeth.

"His word," Sam replied.

A fierce snarl ripped through the air like a knife.

"This is ridiculous!" Emmett roared. "His word! We're supposed to take his word?! There is only one thing that's going to stop that piece of garbage from coming back and ripping my family apart. I say we end this. Now." He lunged himself forward.

In the blink of an eye, Rosalie, Jasper, and Carlisle had rushed to Emmett's side to restrain him, while Esme slid herself gracefully between them and the pack. Alice appeared next to me, and Edward moved me behind him. The wolves' bodies were quaking and rippling in response to Emmett's challenge; Jacob, despite just having his life threatened, continued to lean against the tree and remain as still as a statue. I watched the scene unfold, feeling utterly helpless, and my nightmares came flooding back. I opened my mouth to scream. I had to say something, anything that would put an end to the inevitable fight, but Alice beat me to the punch.

"They're coming." Her face was blank, and her skin seemed paler than usual.

Everyone froze.

"Who?" Esme asked, though everyone already knew the answer.

Alice swallowed and looked at me with worried eyes.

"The Volturi," she responded.

* * *

**R&R please  
Everyone liking it so far?**


End file.
